To W. D. Fox [11 May 1831]
Cambridge
Wednesday
My dear Fox
Cambridge has been in such a state of bustle & excitement for the last week,1 that I have done nothing but go gossiping about the town.— But thank goodness we are once again quiet: & I have had time to think about my plans.— I am very, very sorry to say I cannot pay you a visit at present. I really have no right to travel so many miles (& cost so many shillings) for my own amusement: the Governor has given me a 200£ note to pay my debts, & I must be economical.— Independent of paying you a nice quiet, snug visit, I should have put a scheme into practice which I have long wished to do to see the Pictures at Stamford:2 But both schemes must die the same death from inanition.— On the per contra side of the question Henslows lectures come into play, & I should have been sorry to have missed even one of them.—
And now for our eternal accounts.— I find I made a mistake in my last letter.— I have of your money, 6"4"6 Orridge’s bill was 13s. & what ⟨I⟩ have paid for you amounts in toto, 3£"6"6 remains now 2£18s.— I have written to Baker & given him proper directions, & will pay hi⟨m⟩ his bill next time he comes to Cam.:—
Some goodnatured Cambridge man has made me a most magnificent anonymous present of a Microscope: did ever hear of such a delightful piece of luck? one would like to know who it was, just to feel obliged to him.—
My time here is very pleasant. I am very busy at 3 or 4 λογοι,3 & see a great deal Henslow, whom I do not know, whether I love or respect most.— Mrs. Henslow is hatching a young professor.—4 She will be confined very soon.— As for my Canary scheme, it is rash of you to ask questions: My other friends most sincerely wish me there I plague them so with talking about tropical scenery &c &c.— Eyton will go next summer, & I am learning Spainish.—
How I wish we could meet. You would soon be tired of the subject
Good Bye | Chas Darwin
PS. Aiken is not ill John Day wants to know what to do with your wine as the Hampers are rotting & something must soon be done.
Footnotes
Summary
CD’s father has given him £200 to settle his debts.
He is delighted by a magnificent anonymous gift of a microscope.
Sees a good deal of the Henslows who are expecting a child soon.
CD still talks of the "Canary scheme"; he is learning Spanish.
Letter details
- Letter no.
- DCP-LETT-100
- From
- Charles Robert Darwin
- To
- William Darwin Fox
- Sent from
- Cambridge
- Source of text
- Christ’s College Library, Cambridge (MS 53 Fox 40)
- Physical description
- ALS 4pp
Please cite as
Darwin Correspondence Project, “Letter no. 100,” accessed on 5 October 2024, https://www.darwinproject.ac.uk/letter/?docId=letters/DCP-LETT-100.xml
Also published in The Correspondence of Charles Darwin, vol. 1