My dear Fox

I am through my little Go,!!!¹ I am too much exalted to humble myself by apologising for not having written before.— But, I assure you before I went in & when my nerves were in a shattered & weak condition, your injured person often rose before my eyes & taunted me with my idleness. But I am through through through. I could write the whole sheet full, with this delightful word.— I went in yesterday, & have just heard the joyful news.— I shall not know for a week, which class I am in.— The whole examination is carried on in a different system. It has one grand advantage, being over in one day. They are rather strict; & ask a wonderful number of questions:

And now I want to know something about your plans: of course you intend coming up here: what fun we will have together, what beetles we will catch, it will do my heart good to go once more together to some of our old haunts: I have two very promising pupils in Entomology, & we will make regular campaigns into the Fens; Heaven protect the beetles & M^r Jenyns, for we wont leave him a pair in the whole country. My new cabinet is come down & a gay little affair it is.—

And now for the time, I think I shall go for a few days to Town, to hear an Opera & see M^r. Hope; not to mention my brother also whom I should have no objection to see.— If I go pretty soon, you can come afterwards but if you will settle your plans definitely, I will arrange mine. So send me a letter by return of post:— And I charge you let it be favourable, that is to say come directly.—

Holden has been ordained, & drove the Coach out on the Monday, I do not think he is looking very well.— Chapman wants you & myself to pay him a visit, when you come up, & begs to be remembered to you. You must excuse this short letter, as I have no end more to send off by this days post.—

I long to see you again, & till then | My dear good old Fox | I am yours most sincerely | C. Darwin