My dear Sir

I am extremely obliged for your note. I was going to have written to you by today’s post, for I have received a letter from M^r Davis¹ informing me of his present of specimens.— Would you be so good as to forward the box, whenever you receive it, either to the Athenæum Club or Geological Soc. or preferably to 43 Grt. Marlborough St.— I hope my box will not cause you much additional trouble; will you be so kind as to inform me, what you have paid for clearance &c &c & I will on the first opportunity repay you by a post-offices order.

When you next write to your son,² will you please remember me kindly to him & give him my best thanks for his note.— I had the pleasure yesterday of reading a letter from him to M^r Lyell of Kinnordy full of the most interesting details & descriptions, & written (if I may be permitted to make such a criticism) in a particularly agreeable style. It leads me anxiously to hope, even more than I did before, that he will publish some separate nat: Hist: journal & not allow (if it can be avoided) his materials to be merged in another work.— I am very glad to hear you talk of inducing your son to publish an Antarctic Flora— I have long felt much curiosity for some discussion on the general character of the Flora of Tierra del Fuego, that part of the globe, furthest removed in latitude from us. How interesting will be a strict comparison between the plants of those regions & of Scotland or Shetland. I am sure I may speak on part of Prof. Henslow that all my collection (which gives fair representation of alpine flora of T. del. Fuego & of Southern Patagonia) will be joyfully laid at his disposal.—³

If you have occasion to write to me, will you inform me how & when I can write to M^r Davis, in H.M.S. Terror?

Believe me my dear Sir | With much respect | Yours truly obliged | C. Darwin