My dear M^r. Darwin

I do not know how to thank you for the very kind letter w^h was forwarded to me here.¹ When I accepted the position of Vice President of Section and it was I confess with anything but satisfaction that I looked forward to the prospect of having to write my address; & it was with still less pleasure that I accomplished the task during my last visit here; but to receive such a letter from you more than compensates me for all the trouble & indeed I almost feel it to be one of the events of my life.²

You have probably heard by this time that my brother & I found Horace & his wife here. They left much to our regret soon after we came, crossing over one of the glacier passes! I could not pursuade them to come back by another pass.³

My brother & I have been most vigorous since we came out. We have slept or tried to sleep more often in some hut than in bed, & have already been up the Matterhorn & the Weiss horn⁴   For the moment I have almost forgotten all Embryology but hope to come back with renewed vigour in the course of a week or two

I am | yours very sincerly | F. M. Balfour