My dear M^r Norton

I write a line to thank you much for your letter, & to say that none of Franklins letters to my grandfather have been preserved.—¹ Every scrap of information, M.S. &c which are still extant were sent to me by the grandchildren by his second marriage; when I was preparing my little notice of him.—² I was very inaccurate about Franklin’s nephews (as I imagined them to be) but I hope that I said that I felt quite doubtful whether there was one or two, but am positive about their (or his) rudeness & about Franklin’s manner of taking it.—³

I am ashamed to say that I never read Spark’s life of Franklin & knew nothing about the letter, of which you have so kindly sent me a copy.⁴ My Father used to repeat the anecdote, which I presume has been published, of the Queen of France having said to him, (when he came to Court in plain clothes) that “you not only teach the world wisdom, but you teach the Court of France etiquette.”—or something to like effect.—⁵

We start early tomorrow morning for the Lakes, where at Patterdale, we have taken a house for a month.— I heartily wish that we could see William & Sara there.⁶ I have much to do so farewell, with kind remembrances to all your party, | Yours very sincerely | Charles Darwin