My dear Gulielmus.

Go & have at once a good & deliberate look at my old rooms & if you then prefer them make the change, though it is a confounded bore that money sh^d. have been wasted over papering &c.— I much misdoubted whether at time you had chosen wisely. I think what you say about your present stairs being idle & noisy a real & good reason for your changing. I know well, far too well, what temptations there are at Cambridge to idleness; so I am sure these ought to be avoided. I do hope that you will keep to your already acquired energetic & industrious habits: your success in life will mainly depend on this.— So much for preachment, but it is a good & old established custom that he who pays may preach; & as I shall have to pay if you move, (as I rather advise) so I have had my preach.¹

Mamma is gone to London about her false teeth & returns tomorrow probably with Aunt Susan.² At Christmas we shall have all Hensleigh, Uncle Eras. I hope, & all the Leith Hillites, & we shall in that case be 21(!) gentlemen-souls in the House & 31 souls of all kind!³

I go to London for 3 days next Tuesday & take Etty who will return the following week. On Monday 20^th I have to attend Magistrates meeting⁴ & Georgy comes home, so will you sleep that night in London & bring Etty home next day.— I sh^d. not suppose that you will go to Shrewsbury this vacation: & is it not very short? I am glad you are going to Rugby; I presume that you will have a stay in London during the vacation.—

I think it would be pretty to write to Wilson again;⁵ but you might I sh^d. think wait till vacation-time. If you change rooms, try & get all paid at once. Remember to let me hear in time if you want money for journey &c. I have been rather bad of late, & hence have been a worse correspondent, even than usual: Mr. Williams has ordered me a jolly prescription of two glasses of wine at dinner & he wished me to take three!⁶

GoodBye | My dear old man | Your affect. Father | C. Darwin