My dear Father,

Will you please read the enclosed.¹ I think it w^d. fairly meet the various views if the inscription ran

In Memory of

Erasmus Alvey Darwin

eldest son of Robert Waring Darwin M.D, F.R.S.

born 29 Dec 1804 at Shrewsbury

died 26 Aug. 1881 in London

The inscription to be on upper part of slab leaving room for others. The estate sh^d. not bear the whole expense. W. suggests your paying $\frac{1}{2}$ & that seems reasonable I think.² Slab to be of red granite with bevelled edge.

If this meets your views please write to 6 Qu. A.³ & I will get an estimate on Monday or Tuesday.

I will not come to Down on Monday as Mother suggests.⁴

I shall go & get information about Taylor’s vans for moving furniture & see the cost of transport to Down & delivery of returned goods—probably at the Auction room where they will have to be sold. I will consult the house agents as to proper method of selling.⁵

M^rs. Pearces case is perplexing. I think we shall have to chance the husband turning up.⁶

W^m. went to see Herries but has not written as to what they have done, & so I don’t know when your dividend warrants can be paid.⁷ I sh^d. hope before Xmas. We can do nothing until the transfers are all made.

The damage done by the gale is tremendous— 15 fine trees down in the Johnian gardens alone.⁸ We hav’nt suffered nearly so much

I have begun to make some way with my exam. work & shall get thro’ somehow.⁹ We shall have weekly meetings to squabble over questions from now until January.

I shall probably be back in Camb. on Wedn. Horace¹⁰ must have had a nasty tossing today.

I am going to spend Sunday with Marlborough Pryor at Stevenage & on to town on Monday   Ive not read more than $\frac{1}{2}$ the Worms yet¹¹

Your affec son. | G. H. Darwin

They want me to be Sec. of the R. Ast. Soc. but I don’t think I c^d. stand that.¹²