JH will be sorry if his eldest daughters are absent during WW's visit.
JH would have written earlier regarding WW's invitation for Margaret Herschel and their daughter to stay at Trinity Lodge in June, but he wanted to consult 'my better half' first. Margaret will write personally to Cordelia to confirm matters but he does not think his daughter will go: 'she is not yet more than 14 and is not yet published (come out) so that her mamma thinks it will not be expedient to bring her'. If 'Hopkins would not so horribly darken his meaning by atrocious formula which he sheds abroad like a cutter fish his cut in the sea - I should say that he has put the sliding theory in a decenter aspect than it seemed to stand'.
Referring to the papers of her father, Sir John Herschel.
Collingwood - Macmillan are to publish JH's translation of Homer's 'Iliad' and he wishes to dedicate it to WW. On WW's suggestion he sent books one and two to Prof. Arnold [Matthew Arnold]. Bella [Isabella Herschel] 'never ceases talking of you and Mrs. Douglas's kindness to her at Lowestoft'. JH has had another severe attack of bronchitis.
Collingwood - JH is having problems finding a publisher for his translation of Homer's 'Iliad'. JH has used WW's name in order to send Matthew Arnold - whom he does not know personally - books one and two, but fears they have different notions of English hexameters. Bella [Isabella] and Amelia enjoyed their stay at WW's. JH is feeling very old. He is pleased WW thinks Jevons [William Stanley Jevons] has taken too gloomy a view of the coal question, although JH cannot help thinking that 'there is course for very serious thoughts of our national future'. When coal supplies run out 'our civilisation will then have to fall'.