Darwin Correspondence Project

Down Farnborough Kent

Aug 12th

My dear Sir

Very many thanks for your extremely kind note of the 28th— You will perhaps have expected to have heard from me before, but I have been in London for some days to see for the first time the Exhibition, & I fully intended to have proposed a visit to you, but I had from heat & fatigue so many bad headaches, that my plans were entirely deranged & I failed in finding time to visit & thank you in person.—

I now return you your scissors; but will you believe it, though I explained with the utmost care to Mrs Weiss, that your scissors were brought only as models, I see they have polished them! & I daresay tried to sharpen them!!! I sincerely hope they cannot have injured them. I found one pair which Weiss had formerly made for me was of same size &c as yours, so I did not get a new pair. I think your model has done some good, for they have reground the old pair & they appear certainly sharper, but I have not yet tried them: if blunt I will try my hand according to your instructions, with oil on the Hone.—

I will remember your wish, & send a copy of my vol: to the Linn: Socy I am much obliged for your kind message to Mr Lubbock, which I will not fail to give: he is a remarkably aimable pleasant young man, & has a strong taste for dissecting insects. A little conversation with you, would, I think, be of great service to him; but he is not likely just at present to be staying in London.

I hope much myself to accept your offer & pay you a visit, but I very seldom now go to London, for it always makes me unwell, & I never get half my commissions executed.

With very sincere thanks & hopes that your scissors will not be much the worse from Mrss Weiss taking them so stupidly in hand, believe me | My dear Sir | Yours sincerely | C. Darwin