My dear Sir

I have this minute read the last word of “the Evolutionist at Large”; & I hope that you will not think me troublesome if I tell you how much the whole has pleased me.—¹ Who can tell how many young persons your chapters may bring up to be good working Evolutionists! I quite envy you your power of writing,— your words flow so easily, clearly & pleasantly.— Some of your statements seemed to me rather too bold; but I do not know that this much signifies in a work of the kind & may perhaps be an advantage. Several of your views are quite new to me & seem extremely probable.— But I had not intended to scribble so much.—

One chief object in my writing has been to ask you, busy as you are to send me whenever you can spare time a very few lines, saying how your health is; for I was grieved to hear last winter a very poor account of your health.—²

My dear Sir | yours sincerely | Ch. Darwin

P.S. I have forgotten your address & have to send this to Publisher³