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Dear Professor Secchi, I was greatly pleased to receive your letter of the 26^th Ult; and the moreso as it relates to a subject in which, as you know, I have taken a special interest. Moreover, you have anticipated me by only a week or two; for I have long had a letter to you on the same subject in my head, but have been so incessantly engaged with various urgent affairs, that I could not find the requisite time to sit down quietly to accomplish what I should often have greatly preferred to do. I am not sure whether, when you wrote, you had seen my letter which was published in "The Reader" for Aug. 19^th. A letter from yourself, and also one from Mr. E.J. Stone, appeared in the same number. I well remember the group of spots of which you have sent me photographed pictures. I wish we could get such directly from the Sun! They illustrate several of the most interesting points connected with the appearance and constitution of the spots, but necessarily leave those connected with the general photos were untouched.

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