Darwin Correspondence Project

[Cambridge]

May 18th. A.D. 1823

Dear Bobby.

If you come at ye time you propose To Wit ye 17th., you will not be able to see anything, for every body will be gone down except a few reading men. The best plan I think will be for me to come down (30th.) & then we will come up for a couple of days or so by ye 1st. of July when the Commencement will take place, that is to say when ye Noblemen & such like take their degrees & every thing is very gay. The difference of expense in staying up till ye 17th. & going down & up, will be rather in my favour, not to mention ye ride. If this plan is not approved of, you must bring up a good supply of money, for by that time I shall not have so much as a brass farthing to buy some broth with when you come starving off ye coach. If it is approved of, you must in your answer to this letter in close a ten pound note to frank me down. N.B. both case are ye same to me so suit your own fancy. I have got a few Devils toe nail's for you which are common enough here abouts. P.S. If you come up in July you will fall in with ye Newmarket meeting which inter nos is not half such good amusement as ye Shrewsbury Races. Hensleigh & I went over ye other day in a tilbury & we found it rather stupid, but I have been since on a good horse & found four miles of beautiful turf no mean galloping. It was also some amusement listening to the legs (i.e. black) who are upon ye course in swarms, willing to ease ye Cantabs of as much money as they please.—

I have Witherings Botany in 4 vol. apropos, I wish you would ask my Father if I shall bring him a copy of ``Donns Catalogue of Plants,'' as there is a new Edition by Linly & I have some idea he told me to get him one, th<ou>gh I am not at all sure.

Vale<as>. E. Darwin

P.S. Write soon or I will smak your b— —m.

2nd PS. Dont come up in ye boots you had last Christmas.

Tell me what day ye speeches are.