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Darwin Correspondence Project

To W. D. Fox    [22 September 1829]

[Shrewsbury]

Tuesday

My dear Fox

I had hoped to have been able, before writing to you, to have seen Mr.Hope, and then I should have had something to write about, as it is I am in my usual predicament of having nothing to say.— When at Osmaston, Erasmus plans were, you are aware, to go to Paris for the winter. accordingly I hurried home like a dutiful brother; I might have spared myself that trouble; as it was not likely his plans would continue the same for a whole month: He now intends to give up Doctoring for the present. & take rooms & live in London

He is come back very agreeable & industrious, & foreign parts have not all spoilt him.— he means to go the Birmingham Music meeting, from thence to London, making a detour to Kenilworth, Warwick & Oxford.—& before xstmas he is coming to me in Cambridge.— All this is excessively pleasant, & he means to have an air-cushion in his rooms for me to sleep on, which will make London a delightful place.—

I myself am beginning to doubt about going to Birmingham on account of the expence, but if you will make up your mind to go, so will I.—

Mr. Hope is gone up to London, so that I shall not be able to get anymore information about the insects we took together.—but I trust you have been to the Moor (take your net & sweep), & that you pretty often look over & shake the Fungi.—

I had a letter from Turner yesterday & he says he has actually collected a case full of insects. Do not let yourself be beaten by such a novice as he is.—

I intend going to Cambridge about the 15th. of October, & I do hope you will contrive to be there before very long.—

You must write soon & tell me all your plans.—

Give my love to the little Puss & remember me most kindly to all your family: & Believe me dear Fox | Yours most sincerely, | Charles Darwin

Write to me directly.

Summary

Erasmus has changed his plans, intends to give up doctoring for the present, and will live in London.

CD will go to the Birmingham Music Meeting.

He hopes WDF has been finding insects; J. F. Turner has.

Letter details

Letter no.
DCP-LETT-72
From
Charles Robert Darwin
To
William Darwin Fox
Sent from
Shrewsbury
Postmark
Shrewsbury SE 23 1829
Source of text
Christ’s College Library, Cambridge (MS 53 Fox 22)
Physical description
ALS 3pp

Please cite as

Darwin Correspondence Project, “Letter no. 72,” accessed on 28 March 2024, https://www.darwinproject.ac.uk/letter/?docId=letters/DCP-LETT-72.xml

Also published in The Correspondence of Charles Darwin, vol. 1

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