VH would like information concerning certain aspects of the institutional history of Cambridge.
Refers to several works, which he believes will be of interest to Sidgwick; Pfeiffer's (1863) Uber Genossenschaftswesen, Bishop Ketteler's (1864) Die Arbeiterfrage und das Christentum, Karl Marx's Misere de la Philosophie, Lassalle's pamphlets, Professor Huber's The English Universities.
Mentions Sidgwick's having intimated his willingness to lay out some money 'for the furtherance of cooperative attempts' in the country, when he visited him last. Gives his opinion of the the benefits to cooperative companies of the investment of 'a couple of thousand pounds...applied here and there in judicious doses'. Advises Sidgwick 'to take shares, and discusses the disadvantages of giving loans. Lists five bodies, which he believes at the present 'to be really deserving of pecuniary support: the Rochdale M[ ] Card Manufacturing Society, the Leicester Cooperative, the Wolverhampton and Brewood Cooperative Plate Locksmiths, the [London] Framemakers and Gilders Association, and the [London] Cabinet Makers Cooperative Society; and gives some details about their recent business. Mentions other deserving societies - the Cooperative Nailmakers of Lye, the P[ ] Boiler-makers, and the North of England Cooperative Printing Society - but does not recommended investment in them. Recommends Sidgwick 'not to spend a farthing upon any of these ventures without first seeing the men, and if possible their place.'