My dear Sir,

Pray do not anathematize me in your heart (—I mean, consistently with the purest benevolence, in mere aversion of the flesh,—) if I send you yet this latest outcome of my ponderings—Comparative Metaphysics II, w^h. however is much more practical in its tendency than metaphysical.¹

If you knew how I have longed to be suffered to state to you, in few words of plain speech, the result w^h. I have come to!— But tho’ I am hoping soon to be again with my kind friends at Ravensbourne,² I fear this is more than I ought to petition for. And theref⁠⟨⁠ore⁠⟩⁠ merely send what I know ⁠⟨⁠wou⁠⟩⁠ld probably be as heretofore a dumb messenger.— May I however ask that you will show it to Sir John Lubbock?

Let me say just this. The whole purport of Religious Forms of Thought I have come to see as concerned, from the beginning, with solely the Domestic Relations affecting us; w^h, as such, are altogether included under the import of the ⁠⟨⁠  ⁠⟩⁠re grand mystery in Nature, w. is that of Marriage:— ⁠⟨⁠  ⁠⟩⁠dful to be recognized by ⁠⟨⁠hum⁠⟩⁠an beings as the true point ⁠⟨⁠of⁠⟩⁠ the Origin of Life, alone ⁠⟨⁠  ⁠⟩⁠fully to be speculated about. It is this, I conceive, w^h. alone gives real meaning to both Religious Symbols, & Philosophic theories.— But also, this same result is no other than a subjective equivalent to precisely your own finding, that Sex is above all things the important agency in universal development.

Such a flood of suggestio⁠⟨⁠ns⁠⟩⁠ has in fact poured out upon me on this subject, w^h certainly are the result of my own think⁠⟨⁠ing⁠⟩⁠ tho’ I cannot get myself ⁠⟨⁠    ⁠⟩⁠ to, that I seem almost for⁠⟨⁠  ⁠⟩⁠ out of a woman’s natural shrinking.—

I do not ask for any answer. I am sure of y^r. kind interpretation of this impulsiveness, & am grateful for it in advance—

Believe me, my dear Sir | Yours most respectfully | Sara S. Hennell

Charles Darwin Esq