BLACKWELL FAMILY
ELIZABETH BLACKWELL

To and from Thomson 
(J. Arthur)Wm Booler Letter (useful of 1893) 
J Arthur Thomson -grant-
Trust meeting of October 8 /93
Authorized to consult MyersGullane, Drem N.B.
6th October 1893

My Dear Madam,
I am greatly 
pleased to learn from your 
kind letter that the Trustees 
of the Leigh Browne Endowment 
have thought me worthy of
 their confidence. I hope to use
 the Grant to some good result, and 
shall be glad indeed to receive counsel 
from Sir B.W. Richardson's book, or, 
of course from you and the other Trustees
Pray accept my expression of gratitude 
Yours very truly J. Arthur Thomson

After receiving [?] Boole's letter which Annie should read.
Rock House
Hastings
Sep. 3/ 94

Dear Mr. Thomson
I am much interested 
to learn from a friend who 
attended the Edinburgh 
summer lectures that your address on was apparently 
to entirely in accordance with 
the objects of the Leigh Browne 
Trust, that I should think we 
could legitimately help in its pub-
lication and circulation.  I 
refer to the address  _ "(How to 
Research"_).  The subject 
is of vital importance at the
present time.  The different result ofof method employed by curiosity, 
love of applause, or desire of gave,
- and legitimate search for truth 
is quite lost sight of at present.
Yet it is a vital difference in search
and the former can never lead to true science, i.e. or Knowledge of 
Truth.
The cheap applause of 
students is so dangerous to our 
medical teachers that I have quite 
come to the conclusion that teachers 
of physiology in our medical 
colleges should never be engaged
in physiological research; the 
holding of license to viocsee by 
such persons, is demoralizing 
the method of medical instruction 
and corrupting a vast body of 
youth.  Now in relation  
(?) L.B.T. I am only one of six 
trustees so until our next meeting 
in October, I cannot speak for 
more than myself, but I think
that if you could trust me with your 
letter (if written) or give me an outline 
that I could present to the meeting 
we might promote both your 
views and our own.
    The endowment of legitimate 
research is the very noble object 
of the L.B. Trust, but research 
is not legitimate unless the moral 
guides (underlined) the Intellectual.
    I should much like to talk 
this matter over with you, but I fear 
you are too much occupied to come 
south. I shall however be very glad 
if I can present to our trustees theoutline of your address

Offer to return grant
11 Ramsay  Garden
Edinburgh
5th September 1894
Dear Dr. Blackwell,
I have to thank you for your kind
letter of the 3rd.
I have been troubled in regard to my association
with the Leigh Browne Trust, and have a lively appreciation
of your patience. My year has been an unfortunate one;
influenza first and a rheumatic attack which still lingers
have impeded me sadly with the work which I meant ere
now to have finished. Of course I have myself in part to blame,
but it is not easy to get out of the thicket of tasks which one
allows to grow up around one.
I had hoped in the quiet of this my only holiday
month to get my papers on Heredity, Function, and Environment
into such a form that I could present them to you
and to your co-trustees for suggestion before publication was
ventured on, but now my wife has broken down, and calm
work is difficult.
I have of course got a good deal done, but it is
not ready;  nor did the nutritive experiments on tadpoles
which my assistant Miss Newbigin watched over come to anything;
teaching and research go ill together. As there is no reason why I should not speak quite 
frankly, it comes to this that I have failed to bring to 
any satisfactory issue the piece of work which I promised 
to do, partly because of casualties (illness), partly because 
I under-rated the difficulty of getting free enough from 
my work as a teacher.

I should therefore think it entirely just if the Trustees 
declared the bargain off, and shall be prepared of course to 
return the money which I received.

On the other hand, that would probably be a mistake, 
for in the long run I shall certainly if I have energy 
enough do what I promised.

The only thing which has definitely been done was 
the course of lectures (5 by Miss [Newbigin?], 15 by myself) 
on the History of Animal Life, to which you were kind 
enough to refer. Some of them were, I think, in the right 
spirit, but alas they were very partially written. I mean 
to submit to you - if you will allow me - the last one on the Ethereal Aspects of 
Animal Conduct and Evolution.

I did not write the one on Experimental Evolution 
but I shall try this month to make an intelligible 
outline of it, and send this.

What I wish to do, what I am afraid of spoiling 
by doing quickly, is just - as I said before - to write 
a simple, universally intelligible essay - applying biological 
results to human conduct. Under such a general title as 
"Animal Life and Ours", I propose first to treat of 
Heredity, Function, and Environment. That would form a
a first small volume. I indicated before what more 
particular problems would [fall to] be discussed later on.

Of course much has been done by others, but 
I wish to gather and unify their results, and to write 
for the people, not for those who need neither [pleyneian?] 
nor dictionary.

I know too that a good book is, as Pascal 
or somebody else said, 'une pensée de la jeunesse, executée 
par l'age mur', but then I am not by any means 
sure, to put it mildly, of the mature age, and I wish 
to apply my Biology to men, rather immaturely 
than not at all. Nor is it easy to apply it to oneself 
as we would wish.

All this, however, you may justly says is 
but talk, while we wish work.

But, thanking you again for your kind 
consideration,

I am

Yours very truly

J. Arthur Thomson11 Ramsay Garden, Edin
1st Oct, 1894
Dear Dr Blackwell,
I have written 
out my notes of the lecture on
Experimental Evolution. Have I 
time to get it type-written before 
your meeting, or shall I send it
on as it is? It would be well 
that this programme at least
should be laid on the table on
my behalf.
Yours very truly
J Arthur Thomison

Oct 2nd /94
Dear Mr Thomison
I have just
learned that our first L.B.Trust
meeting after the holidays, will
take place on Oct 23d, when your
letter will be read, and your
very pleasant photograph will
introduce you more vividly
to our Trustees. Have you considered my last question
in relation to your address 
on “How to research.”
judging from the report of 
that address which was sent 
us by one of your audience. 
(a[?]) (a report which will be 
read to our meeting) I think 
it would meet our views to 
help in its circulation; for 
you know that the L. B. trust 
is not designed to fight 
erroneous methods, but to carry 
out right ones. It is so designed 
to constructive not destructive 
work.

The Trust was originally 
founded to give a salary to 
Dr. George Hoggan, who was 
strongly opposed to vivisection 
and similar selfish and 
destructive methods of research. 
His early death prevented the 
carrying out of the original 
intention. But it will 
continue available (and I 
hope with increased friends) for 
all righteous methods of research.11 Ramsey Garden 
Edinburgh 
17 Oct. 1894

Dear Dr Blackwell, 

I must now 
send the lecture as it is. I have 
tried to recall it [very much] as 
I gave it, but there are some 
lacunae.

The first part is introductory 
and theoretical; perhaps the 
summing up is most important.

I am

Yours very truly

J. Arthur Thomson

11 Ramsay Garden 
Edinburgh 
20th July 1896

Dear Dr. Blackwell,

I have 
been home for a week 
else I should have sooner 
acknowledged receipt of 
'Biological Experimentation' 
which you were kind enough 
to send me. I have read 
part of it with much interest. 

There is plenty to say 
about the humane study of 
natural history withoutstepping on debated ground, 
and I hope my proposed 
lecture may be useful. Perhaps, 
if it is not asking too much, 
you would look over it 
before hand, and advise me 
as to emphasis or deletion

With many thanks

Yours very truly

J. Arthur Thomson

[*For possible use.*]

11 Ramsay Garden, Edinburgh 
24. Nov. 1896

Dear Dr. Blackwell,

I have to thank you for your 
kind letter, all undeserved since I fear I did not 
answer your last. I have been very busy in many ways 
during the last few months.

I hope I may be able to hit upon a proper 
level for my lecture on the 8th. If I were addressing 
you, I should know what to say, or, more probably, 
I should not say anything at all. The difficulty is 
with a mixed audience.

I have just received a pressing petition 
from a ladies' training college (Maria Grey) 
begging me to lecture to them, as they cannot come 
to the evening lecture. I suppose I may, if they 
keep it private. Of course it must be done for 
love, not for reward.

I am sorry that my engagements here of 
daily routine will force me to travel on two 
successive nights. I must arrive on Tuesday 
morning and leave on Tuesday evening. It is very 
difficult, as also expensive, to get a substitute for 
my everyday work.It may interest you to know that I have been asked 
by the St. Andrews students to give them a lecture 
on the 11th Dec. on the Philosophy of Biology in 
connection with a new Synthetic society, whose aims, as 
the name implies, as thoroughly congruent with 
your ideals and ours.

I was very sorry to hear of the loss to humane 
science which Sir. Benjamin Richardson's death implies.

Hoping to see you on the 8th

I remain

Yours very truly -

J Arthur Thomson

11 Ramsay Garden 
Edinburgh 
29. Nov. 1896

Dear Dr. Blackwell,

I have written declining 
to give the Training College lecture, as I see it is 
my first duty to come as fresh as possible 
to St Martins. I can't get out of my Monday's 
work, but I shall take a Pullman and 
doubtless sleep through the miles.

With thanks for your kind letter

Yours very truly

J Arthur Thomson