ested a few alterations in pencil for your
consideration, and have put in here and there a slip of paper. There
will be no occasion to rewrite the paper--only, if you agree with me, to
alter a few pages. When finished, return it to me, and I will with the
highest satisfaction communicate it to the Linnean Society. I should be
proud to be the author of the paper. I shall not have caused much delay,
as the first meeting of the Society was on November 5th. When your
Primula paper is finished, if you are so inclined, I should like to
hear briefly about your Verbascum and Passiflora experiments. I tried
Verbascum, and have got the pods, but do not know when I shall be able
to see to the results. This subject might make another paper for you. I
may add that Acropera luteola was fertilised by me, and had produced two
fine pods. I congratulate you on your excellent paper.

P.S.--In the summary to Primula paper can you conjecture what is the
typical or parental form, i.e. equal, long or short styled?

LETTER 650. TO J.D. HOOKER. Down, [January 24th, 1864].

(650/1. Darwin's interest in Scott's Primula work is shown by the
following extracts from a letter to Hooker of January 24th, 1864,
written, therefore, before the paper was read, and also by the
subsequent correspondence with Hooker and Asa Gray. The first part of
this letter illustrates Darwin's condition during a period of especially
bad health.)

As I do nothing all day I often get fidgety, and I now fancy that
Charlie or some of your family [are] ill. When you have time let me have
a short note to say how you all are. I have had some fearful sickness;
but what a strange mechanism one's body is; yesterday, suddenly, I had
a slight attack of rheumatism in my back, and I instantly became almost
well, and so wonderfully strong that I walked to the hot-houses, which
must be more than a hundred yards. I have sent Scott's paper to the
Linnean Society; I feel sure it is really valuable, but I fear few
will care about it. Remember my URGENT wish to be able to send the poor
fellow a word of praise from any one. I have had work to get him to
allow me to send the paper to the Linnean Society, even after it was
written out.

LETTER 651. TO J. SCOTT. Down, February 9th, 1864.

(651/1. Scott's paper on Primulaceae was read at the Linnean Society on
February 4th, 1864.)

The President, Mr. Bentham, I presume, was so much struck by your paper
that he sent me a message to know