Dear M^r. Darwin

You are most kind & I am most delighted to be able to send poor M^rs. Fitch such a nice little purse of money.

Thank you many times too for saying I may apply to you again should it be necessary. I hope there may be no occasion for me to do so; but still I fear that as Fitch grows older & more blind he will grow poorer.¹ How he & his family manage to get on is a mystery to us; for in his better days he spent all his gains & has nothing laid by to fall back upon.

He has been foolish & improvident no doubt; but he has done a great deal of good work in his day & has been a hard worker too.

Yours gratefully & sincerely | Hyacinth Hooker.

My love, please, to your ladies.