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Darwin Correspondence Project

To Charles Thomas Whitley   23 [September 1831]

Shrewsbury

Friday 23d

My dear Whitley

I found your letter on my table, when I came from Plymouth; but I really I had not time to write to you from London or Cambridge, in neither of which places did I stay more than 2 days.— I saw Herbert at Cam. & am afraid this letter will not reach you.— I shall be very sorry for it, for I do not think I ever received a more kind letter than yours or one that gave me so much pleasure.— You ought to have in your mind, the prospect of leaving England for 3 or 4 years before you can understand how to enjoy such a letter from such a person as yourself.— I am afraid we shall not meet, I leave Shrewsbury this day week.— Herbert will find out from Henslow my direction, times of writing &c. & when I can (it must necessarily be very seldom) you shall hear of and from me.— I am rather tired this morning, & the post is soon going out; so that you will excuse this letter: I have nothing particular to say excepting that all is finally settled, & I have sealed away about half a chance of life.— If one lived merely to see how long one could spin out life.— I should repent of my choice.— As it is I do not.—

Again I thank you, my dear Whitley, for all your kind wishes, I hope they will come true, & that when I return, I shall find you a happy & useful man.

God bless you | My dear Whitley | Your affectionate friend | Chas. Darwin.—

Some Fungi have arrived much obliged for them.—

Summary

Thanks CTW for his letter [125]. "I do not think I ever received a more kind letter than yours or one that gave me so much pleasure.— You ought to have in your mind, the prospect of leaving England for 3 or 4 years before you can understand how to enjoy such a letter from such a person as yourself—". Regarding the voyage, "all is finally settled, & I have sealed away about half a chance of life.— If one lived merely to see how long one could spin out life,—I should repent my choice.— As it is I do not.—"

Thanks CTW for four fungi which have arrived.

Letter details

Letter no.
DCP-LETT-135A
From
Charles Robert Darwin
To
Charles Thomas Whitley
Sent from
Shrewsbury
Source of text
Linnean Society of London (Quentin Keynes collection)
Physical description
ALS 3pp

Please cite as

Darwin Correspondence Project, “Letter no. 135A,” accessed on 19 March 2024, https://www.darwinproject.ac.uk/letter/?docId=letters/DCP-LETT-135A.xml

Also published in The Correspondence of Charles Darwin, vol. 1

letter