Dear Father,

I have done the book & send you another Sheet of small observations. I shall not want the sheet I send, back again as there will be nothing to alter in the Index in it—¹

I hope you wo’nt think me bumptious if I say to you that I think it a splendid book & deserving of every inch of its reputation. Your power of marshalling facts under one point of view & the number of facts utterly staggers me; but I’m more struck than anything by the conciseness & clearness of your thought— the one fault I think is some slight want of conciseness of diction. As I cd’nt do a millionth part as much myself—I fear this seems hypercritical & conceited   I feel your power the more that I quail before the thought of arranging the few paltry facts I’ve got about those d–d cousins.²

Ithel Ruck is a funny man; he accepted my invit. to lunch very cordially for him but M^rs. R. turned up without him on Sunday & without any apology on his part.³ He actually has never been inside Trinity & never to the Backs⁴ (wh. are now lovely) until M^rs. R took him there. I certainly shan’t trouble him again now— after reading Maudsley I think he must be a little touched.⁵

I’m passable today again & hav’nt had much sickness for 2 or 3 days

I hope London will be successful—⁶ I come on Friday

Y^rs affly | G H Darwin