My dear Hooker

I do admire your zeal in going all the way to the Isle of Man—that is the way to succeed.— I congratulate you heartily on your arrangements being completed, with some prospect for the future. It will be a noble voyage & journey but I wish it was over, I shall miss you selfishly & all ways to a dreadful extent. Well, there is a beautiful magnet² to bring you back by.—

I am in great perplexity how we are to meet, for I shall not return from Shrewsbury (& I cannot put off that visit, as my Father wishes it) till the 4^th, & I fear it is ludicrous to imagine that you could come here on Saturday 6^th, though we would dine very late, so that you & Falconer might not lose but very little of the Saturday & you could be despatched hence at any hour on Monday Morning. If, as I fear, this is out of the question, I would return home through Kew & sleep with you on Thursday 4^th night,—that is if you will be at home (& that you could tell me hereafter) & you could have me.— But we should very much prefer seeing you here once again. How I do wish L^d. Dalhousie³ would put off going; I daresay he will not start quite true to his time, but you must be very busy. Don’t waste any time in writing (when you can see your way) more than a line to me, to say whether you think there is a chance of your coming here on the 6^th, & I would then ask Falconer

Your affectionate friend | C. Darwin