My dear Fox.

I daresay you would like to hear about me, & I want to hear about you. Did you go to Malvern, & how is the place in your head?— I doubt whether D^r Smith would have suited you: they all say he is very careful in bad illness; but he constantly gives me impression, as if he cared very much for the Fee & very little for the patient.—¹ I like the place very much, & the children have enjoyed it much & it has done my wife good; it did Etty good at first, but she has gone back again.— I have had a series of calamities; first a sprained ancle, & then badly swollen whole leg & face; much rash & a frightful sucession of Boils—4 or 5 at once. I have felt quite ill—& have little faith in this “unique crisis” as the Doctor calls it, doing me much good.² I cannot now walk a step from bad boil on knee. We have been here above 6 week, & I feel worse than when I came; so that I am not in cheerful frame of mind.

So poor old Sir Francis is gone: I never saw him but once, on our to me memorable & pleasant visit to Sydnope.³ The Cromptons are here, & they know well all of you, & are, as they say, connected with you.— Poor M^r Crompton who has just lost his wife, is here, & the old Lady who seems very nice: I have not seen the invalid daughter.⁴ I find that M^r. Rhoades Darwin lives about 10 miles off, near Arthington Stⁿ. at a very nice place—⁵ I sh^d. like to call there, but shall not have strength or spirits. We shall stay about a fortnight longer here; & possibly though not probably I may stay a week or so still longer in Establishment; but it will depend on how I feel.—

You will probably have received, or will very soon receive my weariful book on Species. I naturally believe it mainly includes the truth, but you will not at all agree with me.— D^r. Hooker, whom I consider one of best judges in Europe, is complete convert, & he thinks Lyell is likewise.⁶ Certainly, judging from Lyells letters to me on subject, he is deeply staggered.—

Farewell. If the spirit moves you let me have a line | Yours affectionately | C. Darwin