Down, November 4th [1864].
What a good kind friend you are! I know well that this medal must have cost you a deal of trouble.

It is a very great honour to me, but I declare the knowledge that you and a few other friends have interested themselves on the subject is the real cream of the enjoyment to me; indeed, it is to me worth far more than many medals.

So accept my true and cordial thanks.

I hope that I may yet have strength to do a little more work in Natural Science, shaky and old though I be.

I have chuckled and triumphed over your postscript about poor M.Brulle and his young pupils (181/1.