Darwin Correspondence Project

[Shrewsbury]

Friday

My dear Herbert

Very many thanks for your letter. owing to a mistake of not forwarding it, I only received a few days ago: I am very much obliged for all your labours in the science, & I daresay when I receive the treasure, it will be just as it should be. I saw Butler the day before yesterday, & he gave me an account of all your Welsh proceedings. Your last fatal trip to Drus ar (duzdy) appears rather to have cooled your courage, for, from what I hear you appear to have been very studious & quiet, after I left Barmouth. When I arrived home, I received such a letter from old Whitley. ``weakness'', ``folly'', ``irresolution'', ``idleness'' & many other long & terrible words filled up the measure of his epistle: I sent a most submissive & humble answer: but in return, merely received an acknowledgement of my extreme candour, another charge of the same description as before: I suppose you are at present enjoying all the delights, which, by the many true & faithful accounts, we have all heard Montgomeryshire must posses: I suppose you are, in your accustomed manner, delighting all the little dear female hearts & receiving in return, those gentle insinivating smiles, which Squinny, Miss Jones & (``as hot as love'') used to cast on you: I hear many a parting tear was shed at your sorrowful exit; poor dear squinny could only <I> suppose, shed one, but He<aven> knows, that is not her fault: I have been enjoying myself very much in Derbyshire, the Music meeting went off very well. I shot pretty well: my Entomological pursuits succeded, & the Miss Foxes are very pleasant girls, & so altogether I have spent a very pleasant month

But now for business. I hear from Butler that you have all the beettles & butterflies When you pass through Shrewsbury, you can give them me. of course you will pay me a visit I am almost sure of being at home. I shall go up early, but not quite so soon as the 10th.— Butler goes on Tuesday next

Believe me my dear Herbert | Yours, Charles Darwin

Exert your Zeal & try to add a few more beetles to the bottle. turn over a few old stones & roots of trees. Get the lady with a strong imagination to procure the beettle with a face so very dreadful

I cannot recollect your Christian name, so I shall Christen you G