My dear Sir

Under the circumstances, mentioned in your letter of Friday, I think you cannot do better than propose to settle, upon your son about to be married, the same amount as you settled on your son Francis viz £5000.—¹

But this opinion is subject to a qualification. Marriage-settlements are frequently,—perhaps too often,—the subject of bargains more or less keen. The friends of the Lady make the amount of the fortune, settled on her part, depend upon the sum settled on the part of the gentleman and the friends of the latter are thus induced to increase the amount he puts into settlement. The inducement is that what is put into settlement on the part of the lady is an absolute irrevocable benefit to the husband & the issue of the marriage and is not dependant upon subsequent action on the part of the Lady’s parents or friends.

If therefore by increasing somewhat the sum you settle on your son you can procure an increase of the amount settled on the part of the Lady it may be worth while your making such an increase;—and this notwithstanding that there may be to you something disagreable in the bargain suggested.

Should you for the above, or any other, reason decide to settle more than £5000 the addition might, if you thought fit, be made in the form of an engagement, to be expressed in the settlement, that you will, by your will give your son, subject to his mothers life interest, the sum by which the £5000 is increased.—

I am | My dear Sir | Yours sincerely | W^m M Hacon

Charles R. Darwin Esq^r