My dear Henslow

I am ashamed to trouble you with an answer, simply to say I cannot come, but as the invitation to the Ray dinner¹ is formal, I thought I ought to answer.—

I am much obliged to M^r Peacock for his “insinuation”² & I should like to be with you very much, but I am tied firmly by the leg by the hundred & one details, I find I incur with my Editorship of the Zoolog. Beagle’s Voyage.—

I am moreover Goth enough to prefer paying you a quiet visit to meeting all the world at a great Dinner.—

Many thanks for your last letter, which delights me touching the Journal.— You & others are magnificent in presenting my work to the Cambridge. Phil. Soc.—

Will you tell Miller how much obliged I am to him for determining the minerals for me.³ But will you say, that the point I am most anxious about with regard to specimen (378 yellow) is whether in those cells where there are two kinds of minerals,—one opake, & one crystallized,—whether both are Chabasie⁴ as the point appears to me a cu⁠⟨⁠rious⁠⟩⁠ one with respect to the formation of the crystallized mineral, which I suppose is the Chabasie.—

Most truly y^s. | Chas. Darwin

36 Gr^t Marlbro’ St—Monday.—

I am going out to dine with Lyell so am in a hurry.