Sir,

I dont know whether your attention may have been drawn to a Leader which appeared in Saturday’s “Daily Telegraph” on the subject of our Company. But it has occurred to me you might like to peruse it, & I therefore beg to hand you a Copy of that Journal with the Article marked.¹

I have to thank you for your much valued note in which you express good wishes for the Company’s success.² I regret that we were deprived of the honor of your distinguished presence at the Soirée, but I know well how invaluable is your every moment, & I am very sorry to learn that the state of your health is such that it would not permit of your gratifying the wishes of the Directors, even if there had been no other difficulty. I sincerely trust you may be speedily & completely restored. We had a most enthusiastic Meeting, about 300 Ladies & Gentlemen interested in the Society being present. Lord Shaftesbury presided, supported by Archbishop Manning, Canon Woodruff, Sir Curtis Lampson & other eminent Persons.³

The Secretary announced that since the Books were closed for the past Financial Year, on the 2^nd. March, there had been applications for shares to the am^t. of £9000. One Gentleman, John B Wanklyn Esquire of Mayfield, Cheam, Sutton, Surrey, took 100 shares last week, & Sir Curtis Lampson, with whom I had a long Conversation in London last week, will I think take a like Interest. I have just received an application from M^r. W^m. Tipping MP for Stockport for 20 shares. Several of our principal Shareholders, including M^r. Thomas Carlyle, Archbishop Manning &c have doubled their shares.

We are making an Appeal to all our Shareholders to increase their holdings, & we have received but 2 or 3 unfavorable replies so far. It is most important that no one should take shares without satisfying himself of the genuineness & safety of the Investment, without a knowledge that it pays a moderate rate of Interest, & is in all respects perfectly bonâ fide. I have the fullest confidence in asserting that the Investment fulfils these conditions, & I therefore have the less delicacy in asking a further extension of your confidence by making your shares into 20.⁴

I beg to hand you a Report of statement of A/cs. for the past year in the Commercial World.⁵

I have left Liverpool temporarily to take the management of the Company’s Business in this County. May I therefore ask you kindly to oblige me by addressing your much esteemed reply to me at Huddersfield?

I have the honor to hand you a List of our present principal Patrons.⁶ Since I took the liberty to address you in October last M^r. Tyndall,⁷ Sir Charles Wheatstone, M^r. John Forster,⁸ M^r. Martin Tupper & General Sabine⁹ have taken shares through me.

With profound respect & very humble esteem, | I have the honor to be, | Sir, | Your Most Obliged & Very Obedient | Servant, | J. Royle Martin.

To | Charles R. Darwin Esquire FRS. DCL¹⁰ | &c &c &c | Down, | Beckenham.