My dear Cousin

Every word in your letter shows that you believe in the good Scotch saying “that blood is thicker than water.”¹ Before receiving your letters we had resolved to beg you if you ever passed through London to pay us a visit; though unfortunately my head never allows me to enjoy a talk with anyone, except for a short time. Since my last letter I have made a strange discovery; for an old box from my father marked ‘Old Deeds,’ and which consequently I had never opened, I found full of letters—hundreds from Dr. Erasmus—and others from old members of the family: some few very curious. Also a drawing of Elston before it was altered, about 1750, of which I think I will give a copy.² Your sister Violetta writes to me in the kindest manner, and she says that the engraving by Wedgwood would be much better to have photographed than a Picture.³ She has a copy, but I did not feel sure whether she meant to offer to lend it me. Would you lend me your copy and then my son Leonard, R.E., who is at the head of the Photographic Department at Chatham could judge whether it could be well reproduced.⁴ Your sister will kindly make drawing of The Priory, so I am now splendidly well off.⁵ George has come home and has been greatly interested by your big book.⁶ What an odd story in the Cotton M.S.; but George remarks that there is no evidence that this Mr. Darwin was W. Darwin of Cleatham.⁷ We are much puzzled whether Robert Darwin of Lincoln’s Inn and Father of Dr. Erasmus was ever owner of Elston as he died before his elder brother, and yet I have always understood that Dr. Erasmus was born at Elston.⁸ I have also written to Mrs. Darwin of Creskeld to ask about this point.⁹

By the way in the pile of old letters just discovered I have found out that our Grandfather did get to Edinburgh before Charles died.¹⁰ The more I read of Dr. D. the higher he rises in my estimation. At the suggestion of Emma Galton I wrote to Mr. Moilliet to know whether he had any letters of my Grandfather, but he has not answered me. Would you lend me the Memoir to which you refer?¹¹

Pray forgive this very untidy letter, but I am very tired to death with writing letters; half the fools throughout Europe write to ask me the stupidest questions.—

Yours cordially obliged | Charles Darwin

P.S Very many thanks about the Seal; but we sh^d. not particularly value it.—¹²

Please sometime answer about address to “atheist”—¹³