My dearest Etty,

I must write to say how much your nice & affectionate letter from Dover has pleased me.² From your earliest years you have given me so much pleasure & happiness that you well deserve all the happiness that is possible in return; & I do believe that you are in right way for obtaining it.— I was a favourite of yours before the time when you can remember. How well I can call to mind how proud I was when at Shrewsbury after an absence of a week or fortnight, you would come & sit on my knee, & there you sat for a long time, looking as solemn as a little judge.— Well it is an awful & astounding fact that you are married; & I shall miss you sadly.³ But there is no help for that, & I have had my day & a happy life, notwithstanding my stomach; & this I owe almost entirely to our dear old mother, who, as you know well, is as good as twice refined gold. Keep her as an example before your eyes, & then Litchfield will in future years worship & not only love you, as I worship our dear old mother.

Farewell my dear Etty.— I shall not look at you as a really married woman, until you are in your own house. It is the furniture which does the job. | Farewell | Your affectionate Father | Charles Darwin