Dear Moseley

Your proposal to dedicate your book to me, I look at as a great honour.² Nothing whatever gives me so much pleasure as to think that my work has at all encouraged in others a taste for Natural History, & to believe that this is so in your case is an especial pleasure to me; for you must allow me to say that your several papers & your conversation have led me to believe that you have a grand career before you in Biology.—³

I received your letter late last night, but the proof-sheets had not yesterday arrived at Down, but book-packets often come a day after date.— We return home early tomorrow (27^th) morning & I do not doubt that I shall find there the sheets—⁴ They shall be returned, after I have glanced over a few pages, by tomorrows post, as I fear that you will already have been inconvenienced by the delay— I feel a strong conviction that your book will prove very interesting to all naturalists, & I am very glad that it will soon be published.—

Again thanking you, I remain, | Yours very sincerely | Ch. Darwin