My dear King

I was much pleased to get your letter;² only about a fortnight since I was asking all I could about you, for Wickham, Sulivan & Mellersh came down here; & much I enjoyed seeing these good & true old Beagle friends.³ I wish you had told me a bit more about yourself & family; for the remembrance of old days when we used to sit & talk on the booms of the Beagle, will always to the day of my death make me glad to hear of your happiness & prosperity.— I have no proper carte, but I send a photograph of myself made 3 or 4 years ago by my eldest son (now a partner in a Bank,—this shows how old I am) & which is a good likeness of me.—⁴ Thanks for your information about sheep; I remember being puzzled about their degeneracy.—⁵ But to the main purpose of your letter, I grieve to say that my health is so indifferent, I cannot stand seeing at present anyone here. Twice lately I could not resist seeing old friends (once was when Wickham & Co came here) & the excitement made me so ill afterwards, that I have been advised not to do so again.⁶ I am well enough in the mornings & when I keep quiet. I must write to your Brother to this effect.⁷

I seldom go to London, which is 16 or 17 miles distant, & so rarely see FitzRoy, but if I do I will not fail to give your message.⁸

Farewell my old friend, may all prosperity attend you.

Yours very sincerely | Ch. Darwin

Do you remember Syms Covington? I had a letter about a year ago from Twofold Bay to say he was dead.—⁹