Shrewsbury
March 3d. 1833.
Catherine who wrote last will have told you my very dear
Charles how glad we were to have your last letter dated November, and now it is gone to
Erasmus— We have also seen a letter Mr. Hughes wrote to the
Haycocks & it was speaking so much about you & the great pleasure he had
in seeing you, that it was almost as good as hearing from yourself— We shall
all treasure this last letter from you, more than any others, as you say we must not
expect to hear again for six or nine months, which appears an endless time looking
forward.— I congratulate you on your luck in finding those curious remains of
the Monster M— I think Geology far the most interesting subject one can
imagine & now I have found a very easy way of learning a little smattering of
it. The penny Magazines give a few pages (which the most foolish person can understand)
in every Number on the subject.— I think this clever penny work has come out
since you left England we all swear by it as it contains every kind of
knowledge written so pleasantly with prints.
The race of Wedgwoods is fast encreasing & I must give you the Annual
Register.—
Frank's son & heir Master Godfrey was born on the
26th. of January, & the Hensleighs have got a little
Daughter born the 6th. of
Febry.— Uncle Jos has been attending Parliament now nearly a
Month. We have not heard much about him except that he finds it fatiguing— His
family go up to town after Easter when they will divide themselves between Charlotte
& Hensleigh so will take no house in London.— The Radicals are getting
so fierce & licentious in the Debates, that Papa gets more & more of a
Tory every day.— This Government appears to be perfect for they let no abuses
remain. Church Reform & Slavery will certainly be done this Session I
shd. think.— In short by the time you
come back from your surveying expedition so many changes will have taken place that I
can't imagine how you will ever learn them all for Newspapers 9 months
old it wd. be impossible to read.—
I have been staying a great deal at Woodhouse lately to comfort poor Caroline who has
no Sister now Emma being gone to stay with Sarah in London & Fanny
& Mr Biddulph have taken a small nutshell for
5 months whilst Parliament sits.— Francis is still at home they want
to get him into a foot Regiment but find great difficulty. he seems to go on
very well with Mr Owen which is fortunate. Mr. Owen
sometimes talks of packing him off to Canada but this is only a joke I suppose. They
have heard fr. Arthur since he reached Madras. he wrote in great
spirits & had gone through his first examination so well that they had augmented
his salary.— They always talk and enquire much about you at Woodhouse
& Mrs. Owen still keeps her opinion of Charles Darwin being the
happiest person she knows.— Caroline Owen laughed much at recollecting your
walks in the wood with Sarah: & a<fter> abusing us all for being
such a reserved family, sa<id> at least ``you were an
exception for she believed there was no family secret you would not tell to
Sarah in the wood''.— I am afraid this is all too true Master
Charley.— I used to be surprised how you should like making such long visits
at the Forest, but now I stay a fortnight at a time I find it much pleasanter,
one becomes so completely one of the family.— It seems so odd to see them
reduced to a party of four at Dinner. Sarah sent for yr direction the other day
so I daresay you will find a letter on yr return.—
Charlotte Holland is married to Mr Isaac the 14th of this
Month & Emma Wedgwood goes to the wedding.—
March 6th.
Captain Beaufort has very kindly written to tell us that if we send off this letter
immediately to him it will catch the Buenos Ayres Mail & will most probably be
the last news you will have for sometime I don't quite understand how this can
be—but as you will like to hear as lately as possible that we are all well I
pack this off tho' it is a mighty dull epistle
Dear old Charley I am afraid we shan't see yr hand writing till September but at least
we have the comfort of knowing that your long silence means no harm & is
unavoidable.— Catherine & I are just come in from a long walk with the
(future Mrs. Hope) alias Louisa Leighton they
talk of going abroad after their marriage which will suit the Gentleman much better than
the Lady I guess.—
Papa desires his most affectionate love to you We all often talk
about you & you are forgotten by nobody I assure you & I have nothing
more to give but my best love & blessing | Dear old fellow yr
affectionate Granny D.
