To J. D. Hooker 10 [November 1863]
Down
10th
My dear old Friend.
I was so glad to hear of your French tour & that you are determined & are able to exert yourself.—1 What an addition of trouble your case of S. Fever.—2
I now send Haast:3 I have tried many days to write to you, but could not.— Dr. Brinton has been here, (recommended by Busk)4 he does not believe my Brain or heart are primarily affected; but I have been so steadily going down hill, I cannot help doubting whether I can ever crawl a little up hill again. Unless I can, enough to work a little, I hope my life may be very short; for to lie on sofa all day & do nothing, but give trouble to the best & kindest of wives & good dear children is dreadful. I shd. much like to write on N. Zealand distribution & superficial deposits &c (I have been rereading your old letters) but am too weak.5
God Bless you my best of Friends. | Yours affect. | C. Darwin
Haast sent me a Report of some kind & large map.—6
Footnotes
Bibliography
Haast, John Francis Julius von. 1861. Report of a topographical and geological exploration of the western districts of the Nelson Province, New Zealand. Nelson, New Zealand: Nelson provincial government.
Summary
Pleased with JDH’s account of his French tour.
Doctor Brinton, recommended by Busk, does not believe CD’s brain or heart affected. Feels he is going steadily downhill. If so, hopes his life will be short.
Sends Haast’s letter.
Letter details
- Letter no.
- DCP-LETT-4335
- From
- Charles Robert Darwin
- To
- Joseph Dalton Hooker
- Sent from
- Down
- Source of text
- DAR 115: 208
- Physical description
- ALS 3pp
Please cite as
Darwin Correspondence Project, “Letter no. 4335,” accessed on 26 September 2022, https://www.darwinproject.ac.uk/letter/?docId=letters/DCP-LETT-4335.xml
Also published in The Correspondence of Charles Darwin, vol. 11
