My dear M^r. Darwin

You cannot think with what pleasure I received a note from you by the last Mail enclosing a Photograph of yourself—.¹ It was a Strange feeling that came over me as I identified one by one the now well remembered features of what you must permit me to call y^r. dear old face. And as I ga⁠⟨⁠ze⁠⟩⁠ upon your likeness r⁠⟨⁠emini⁠⟩⁠scences of my youth appear to come back to me.² I fancy I see you in your old corner behind the mizen-mast with neither room to bend or turn still pursuing your studies in Natural History with unwonted zeal, but I will not bore you with these reminiscences   suffice it to say that few things have given me greater pleasure lately ⁠⟨⁠th⁠⟩⁠an the opportunity you have ⁠⟨⁠given⁠⟩⁠ me of reproducing in my minds eye the very expression of your eye & mouth.

I am so sorry to think you suffer so much from ill health but you are living on to a good age at any rate, and I trust the Scientific world will not lose you yet.

Accept my dear friend the best wishes of y^r. old Shipmate | Philip Gidley King