My dear Sir

Thank you for your note.—   My object in calling on you was chiefly selfish; for it was to ask a little advice on education of one of my Boys,—on which subject I remembered to have heard you once talk as if you had thought over the subject.—² I want to propose to M^rs Cresy & yourself, instead of walking over here, to take us on your way home & come to dinner & sleep here, & in all probability we can send you on to the station at Bromley.³ But I am bound to tell you that we are a dismal house: my daughter has been very ill for 15 weeks, but is very slowly recovering, yet M^rs. Darwin has to be with her much of her time, & I am on most days a poor wretch unable to sit a whole evening even with my nearest relations; but if you will put up with this & accept good will, it will give us great pleasure if you will come here.—

M^rs Darwin would have written to M^rs Cresy, but I have said that I felt sure she would excuse her doing so.—

I hope that you will adopt my plan, instead of walking here & believe me | My dear Sir | Yours very sincerely | Charles Darwin