Darwin Correspondence Project

Shrewsbury

Novbr. 22d. | 1835

My dear Charles—

I am happy to tell you that your Journal has arrived safe, there was some alarm about it; as the Challenger that you told us it was coming by; was wrecked owing to some new currents from the late Earthquake.— I don't know what Ship it did come in, but your heart wd. certainly have been broken if it had been lost.— Eras recd. the Journal in London and lent it to the Hensleighs to read, who were exceedingly pleased with it, and think it will make a most interesting book of travels when you publish it.— We are now reading it aloud, and Papa enjoys it extremely except when the dangers you run makes him shudder: Indeed I think the escapes you have had of different dangers are quite providential! We never read anything so shocking as the murderous war upon the poor Indians—one can hardly believe anything so wicked at the present day as the conduct of General Rosas. Is he a Spaniard?— I cannot think how you cd. write such a collected account of your travels when you were Galloping so many miles every day.— When I have corrected the spelling it will be perfect, for instance Ton not Tun, lose instead of loose.— You see I am still your Granny— Since I began this Eras writes me word that your Journal he believes came on the Ship that brought the Crew of the Challenger so it was wonderfully lucky it was not lost.— Eras also says he hears that some of your Letters were read at the Geological Society in London & were thought very interesting, and now I will copy another bonne bouche for you. Dr. Butler sent Papa an extract from a Letter of Professor Sedgwick's to him which was as follows about you. ``He is doing admirably in S. America, & has already sent home a Collection above all praise.— It was the best thing in the world for him that he went out on the Voyage of Discovery— There was some risk of his turning out an idle man: but his character will now be fixed, & if God spare his life, he will have a great name among the Naturalists of Europe.''— I think this paragraph we ought to copy out in every Letter that goes to Sydney lest this shd. miscarry. My dear Charley I am so happy you have this reward for all your excessive labour & exertions. I sometimes can hardly fancy you are my brother that I read of going through such hazardous enterprises.— I do long to hear you are safe out of South America for then I shall consider you comparatively safe. Catherine heard fr. you last week yr Letter was dated Coquinbo the 31st. of May and then you were going to undertake a month of land Journey I am sorry your inclination for the South Sea Islands has rather evaporated.—

You will be surprised to hear that Erasmus is turning into a busy Man. Government has appointed Commissioners for examing into all the Public Charities throughout England and Robert Mackintosh is made one of them and as he is obliged to have a Clerk Erasmus has taken that office & gets 150 pr. Annum. I don't expect Mr Eras will keep his place long, at least if it requires much work, and how he will manage with no Law knowledge seems a mystery:— He sets out next Wednesday to undertake Berkshire.— Unfortunately Shropshire has been examined or we shd. have had him here which would have been very nice.—

Marianne has been suffering a good deal of anxiety this Month, owing to Parky having got the Scarlet fever at his School at Oswestry and he had it so severely that he could not be moved. Marianne went there to nurse him and was several nights without slee<p> which q<ui>te knocked her up.— She expects to be con<fined> in January so she was not at all in a fit state for so much exertion— She has however not caught the fever, and now as it is 3 weeks since we hope she will certainly escape. Parky is now at Overton & Caroline is there, whilst we have the three younger boys here and they are the best & nicest little men you ever saw, and often talk of Uncle Charles with awe & reverence.—

The John Wedgwoods are very busy transplanting themselves again from Monmouthshire into Staffordshire as they have taken a house about 4 miles from Maer in order to be near Jessie & also Allen. Indeed they have now three children living in Staffordshire for Mr & Mrs. Robert reside at Muxton— I had a visit from them this Autumn & cd. hardly make myself remember they were husband & wife they looked so much more like Mother and Son.—

I hope my dear Charles we shall have another Letter from you when you reach Lima as we shall be very glad you have done with that odious South America.— My Father Catherine & I send you our most affectionate Love & Good bye Ever yrs. Susan E Darwin

Nancy begged I wd. tell you how she counts the Months now with joy.—