| Description | Written from 90, upper Tulse Hill S.W.
He is glad that Kempe is at home. He had written to Mr James for Kempe's address. He will meet Kempe tomorrow Thursday at the R[oyal] S[ociety] at 11 am.
He supposes Kempe saw the letter which he and Foster drew up, and which he signed, and which was sent to the R[oyal] G[eographical] S[ociety]. He was unable to sign the verbose letter of Markham's as he must not commit the Society to any expression of opinion on (1) as to value of geographical results (2) as to value of the natural history results, etc. Kempe must see that Markham's draft would have to be greatly modified before he could sign. He wrote to Darwin yesterday asking him if he could support with M[arkham] and at the RGS that he should have the letter he has already signed rewritten in th first person, with a few explanatory words saying that Markham is in Norway, there is no sufficient opportunity for agreeing upon a joint letter. This he could sign as representing the RS onl., Thus Markham can put his long letter in the first person, and sign for the RGS only. The two letters to go in the same envelope, with note from Darwin explaining this course had been adopted in consequence of Markham being in Norway. As the letter is little more than one of greeting, he does not see any serious objection. He has not yet received a reply from Darwin. He will bring papers tomorrow and a draft of the letter he would sign.
Postscript;
If Kempe cannot meet him tomorrow at 11 am then wire him. Lady Huggins saw Kempes's letter and asks if he and his wife would come to tea some afternoon |