Item 104 - James David Forbes to William Whewell

6 pp

Grasmere, Ambleside - Mrs Forbes has given birth to a little girl. They have been to Malvern 'in search of hill air', and are now in Grasmere: 'I have unquestionably benefitted in my general health by coming here'. JDF's preparations for his proposed dissertation 'make very slow and desultory progress' [JDF has been asked to continue Playfair's and Leslie's dissertations on the progress of science to the present time: See JDF to WW, 6 March 1852]. He fears that the vastness of 'the work will break down under its own magnitude'. If WW is going to the Belfast BAAS meeting, JDF hopes he 'will return this way'.