Dear Sir

I should be much obliged if you would take the trouble to write to your friend, and ask him if he would excuse my capriciousness & continue to make the alterations in ink;² for they are so few & so good, that it is a mere loss of time of my part to go over them with ink.—

Perhaps it would be better if he thinks a whole sentence or a few lines are better left out, to use the pencil, as it catches my eye, sooner, and there are some remarks, which I should be sorry to be omitted & the meaning of which possibly would not be perceived excepting by a Naturalist.

If you forwarded this note, it would save you the trouble of writing.—

Truly you^rs.— | Chas. Darwin August 2^d.

I saw Capt FitzRoy, who agrees with the propriety of beginning to print at once.— I shall send you my MSS, either this evening or tomorrow morning, but I must converse with you about some points.