My dearest Charles,

Your last letter was very interesting, & we were very much pleased to receive it & your Journal. I am very glad of this Parcel, as it gives Caroline an opportunity of sending you some little Books perhaps you will like. I can think of nothing to send you, except a little Chain; w^ch perhaps may be useful to hang an instrument to; it is with Susan’s purse. Enclosed is another letter from M^rs Williams, which I know you like better than any thing else. What a nice letter your’s was to her; She sent it here for us to read.— All your letters make one very melancholy in one respect, the enormous time that it seems your Voyage will keep you away. The original two years are over now; I wish to Heaven Capt Fitzroy had been strictly limited to time. We are going to read aloud your Journal to Papa—; it will do beautifully for Winter’s Evenings.

I think as yet it has been quite wonderful how regularly our Correspondence has gone on. I do not think there was any April Letter lost; by the order in which we write to you, I think the April letter must have left here the end of March.—¹ I have really nothing in the world to tell you—so I must stop— Bless you dear Charley—ever y^rs affect^e | E. Catherine Darwin