Shrewsbury
March 30th. | 1835
My dear Charles
Your last letter was to Cath dated Novr 8th. and
extremely interesting— How very kind Mr. Corfield has been
& what would have become of you if you had been unable to return to his house
before you became so ill— poor dear Charles it is melancholy to think of you
ill & suffering for a long month & I am sadly afraid it will be very
long indeed before you are as strong & able to bear climate & dangers as
you have done— We all cannot help feeling very sorry for your determination of
remaining in the Beagle till the expedition is over & indeed it is not
only the selfish wish we have to see you again— Do just think whether
you are wise to encounter the danger & risk you must do—particularly
now the schooner is given up. I do not doubt the enjoyment is extreme but I can not
think the weeks of interest & pleasure can equal those of discomfort, danger
& separation from all your friends— if there was any certain period
for the end of the voyage it would be differt but the time has gone on lengthening
& lengthening & it will end by your wasting the best years of your life
on ship board. Capt Fitzroys health & spirits not being good
certainly adds to ones uneasiness, & I can assure you not a friend you have feel
there is the slightest reason for your continuing with the Beagle a day longer than you
wish for your own pleasure— You have already made great collections &
done much—& it will be a happy day when you are again in England to
arrange them— I will teaze you no more dear Charles but do not decide without
once more reflecting—
Mr. Owen recevd your letter written on the 9th. &
was excessively pleased by it— he wrote a note to my Father quite overflowing
with affection & as for Papa himself he was so much affected by thinking of you
ill & forlorn that we hardly could mention your name to him all that
day— he sends you his kindest most affectionate love I wish you could have
heard all Papa said one day when we were talking about you— he wrote to
Mr. Corfield at Pitchford to say how grateful he felt for his sons
kindness to you— I have had another letter from Charlotte— it is
settled that she & Mr Langton go to Rio the end of April where
they remain 4 or 5 months & then winter in one of the West
Indian Isles. I am sure it would please Charlotte extremely if you would write a few
lines to her at Rio. she always enquires & is so much interested about
you— I am afraid poor thing she cannot like going to Rio instead of returning
to Maer & seeing At. Bessy— all at Maer are very
well— At. Bessy's understanding is fast failing
b<ut> her health much as usual. Elizabeth has <been> staying
the last month at Clapham with the Hensleighs Erasmus is quite devoted to Snow (the
eldest of Hensleighs children) he talks very vigourously of going to Switzerland this
summer but I am sure he will not be able to leave his darling pet— I heard
from Wm. Fox, last week he talks of spending the summer at Barmouth or
Beaumaris & paying us a visit on his road— his poor wife has been
exceedingly ill all winter, she had a dead child & has never recovd her
strength— what a pity in that sickly family that Mrs.
W. Fox should prove more delicate than any of them— he enquires most
kindly after you—
Cath is at Overton gone to comfort Marianne for the approaching separation from Parky
who goes to school at Oswestry at Easter— There is no family news to tell you
Robert is not yet married to Miss Crewe & nobody knows
exactly what they are waiting for. she flatters & coaxes his
brothers—making flanel waistcoats & buying gingerbread for Allen
& pressing Tom to stay at Muxton— when you last saw Robert you little
thought you would find him married on your return to a woman more than old enough to be
his Mother & such an odious disreputable family to marry into with herself
having the reputation of a bad temper. her manner is so sweet &
artificial that I fully believe she is not what she seems—& I pity
poor Robert for it
I see by the Paper that Professor Henslow has a son.— I hoped to have told you some political news but the debate is still going on
upon the Irish Church by which Sir R Peel says he will stand or fall—
Good bye, my very dear Charles all our kindest loves—you are an excellent
correspondent & you may believe we do thoroughly value your letters— |
Once more bless you & good bye—
