Item A29 - Letter from Richard Chandler Alexander [check this - more likely R.G. Alexander, who studied under Balfour in 1867 and 1869], Bradford, to John Hutton Balfour

R.G. Alexander writes: Dear Professor Balfour I have just taken my B.A. at Cambridge. My final exam was Botany, knowledge of which I am indebted to your book. Dr. Babington told you when you were last here, that it was not so much used as in the past. I think he must be mistaken. It was used by nearly all the men. However it has placed me in First Class a thing which has never occurred in Botany before. 14 candidates and 6 passed. I feel it my duty to say how indebted I am to the thorough teaching which your lectures gave me and to the careful perusal of your valuable works. I am still the only Physican in Bradford while there are 50 G.P.s and am [satisfactory as it may appear on account of my youth] head of the honorary staff at the general hospital in virtue of my title. I trust you are well and that the duties at this time of the year are not too arduous. I hope that the time is far distant when Edinburgh will be deprived of your valuable lectures upon a subject which is of such essential reading in training the mind to form exact opinions and accurate diagnoses. With renewed thanks, believe me , dear sir yours gratefully R.G.A. p.s. added by D.Alexander “I am pleased to see that you still have time for original communications”