My dear Darwin

What an age it is since I have heard any thing of you. It has been my fault, as I do not think I have ever writte⁠⟨⁠n⁠⟩⁠ even to thank you for sen⁠⟨⁠ding⁠⟩⁠ me a copy of your Expression of Emotions &^c.² I do very greatly ⁠⟨⁠    ⁠⟩⁠e your so kin⁠⟨⁠dly⁠⟩⁠ thinking of me when you publish. Your Books are very often in my hand, & give me great pleasure, but I cannot quite go with you on all points—in fact I think I diverge from some ⁠⟨⁠o⁠⟩⁠f your leading ideas more than I did, as I think more of them.

⁠⟨⁠Y⁠⟩⁠our works have the ⁠⟨⁠v⁠⟩⁠ery great advantage over most of this day, that they make you think and meditate—and the delicious freshness of y⁠⟨⁠our⁠⟩⁠ ⁠⟨⁠ear⁠⟩⁠lier ones is always a source of intense pleasure. I do not think I have heard from you, since a letter last year recalled the glorious days of Panagæus Crux Major.³ I never now see an Entomologist. My own Boys hunt Lepidoptera but that is all. If your Sons friend the Butter⁠⟨⁠fly⁠⟩⁠ hunter ever comes to the Is of Wight, send him to me.⁴

It would be quite refresh⁠⟨⁠ing⁠⟩⁠ to see a general Entomolog⁠⟨⁠ist.⁠⟩⁠

I take the same pleasure in all branches of Nat: History as I did 50 years ago— but Eheu labuntur fugaces anni⁵ and I have not much time or strength to follow up the pursuit.

I have a lovely little Natterjack⁶ staring at me from under some moss at this moment which I brought from Island. What pretty little creatures they are.

You gave me but a poor description of the health of your children last year.⁷ I hope they are better & stronger, and that you are as well as usual, which ⁠⟨⁠is⁠⟩⁠ not I fear saying much.

We are all here for some weeks ⁠⟨⁠to⁠⟩⁠ come, when I mean to resign ⁠⟨⁠m⁠⟩⁠y little living here, where I have ⁠⟨⁠li⁠⟩⁠ved some 35 years in much ⁠⟨⁠en⁠⟩⁠joyment.⁸ It is a severe ⁠⟨⁠w⁠⟩⁠rench, but as I cannot do the work of a Parson, it seems right ⁠⟨⁠to⁠⟩⁠ resign to one who can. If I ever ⁠⟨⁠h⁠⟩⁠ave a day in London— I shall run ⁠⟨⁠d⁠⟩⁠own & have a look at the Old Philos⁠⟨⁠opher⁠⟩⁠ at Down. My heart warms when I think of the happy days we spent together. A line telling me how you and M^rs Darwin are, will be always a treat.

Ever yours affec Friend | W. D. Fox

P.S. | I must send you an extract from a letter received a day or two since from a M^r Gover⁹ residing at present in my house at Sandown.

First he says “I see you have a complete set of Darwins works. Many of his facts are valuable in connexion with the hereditary principle in which I am deeply inter⁠⟨⁠es⁠⟩⁠ted.”

He then adds— to shew how much he has profited by ⁠⟨⁠re⁠⟩⁠ading your works

⁠⟨⁠“⁠⟩⁠I have been much interested with the Birds flying to and from their nests in the Verandah. One has a black patch like a collar on under part of neck, & a transverse black line to the Bill. I do not know what Birds they are, and whether the marked one is Male or Female”

One can scarcely imagine a man so well describing a Cock Sparrow, & not recognising the bird, especially as hes a Livery man of London & has a house at Blackheath.¹⁰

This tickles me immensely.