My dear Darwin

I send you this month’s S.A. mag because I think you will like to see the Bishops account, at the Meeting, of the Fuegians.¹ It seems strange to read of one man having a dairy and selling butter, to passing vessels. I hope you and yours have got through this cold winter better than we did. My wife and I were laid up for nearly all Jan^y and February with bad colds & coughs, and since then at one time our whole party, of four, were unable to walk.² I have had occasional pain & weakness in right leg since last summer—and a Lady near us sent in one day to say, her husband had died suddenly and asking me to come to her. It was a trying scene, and the next morning my leg had given way again—& I was laid up for a fortnight; about the same time my wife was forbidden to walk for six weeks, my eldest daughter has till lately been four months unable to walk through a bad knee, & the other again hurt the foot, that through an accident in Northerland three years since, put her fourteen months on crutches: so we have been a lame party: though now I trust all right again.³

You will perhaps have heard that when M^r. Langtons grand children had Hooping cough, though slightly, he had a slight attack of it also.⁴ They are all right now. I was glad to hear from him of Miss Wedgwood being quite well again.⁵ My youngest son’s wife, at Newcastle, gave us our first grandson. three months since.⁶ My eldest still at Cowes in Command of the gun boat.⁷ I suppose he must be promoted soon, as he is only about six from the top of the list of those eligible for promotion; & though he was the first of all the senior 150 to get Greenwich honours & which he did in six subjects, they have not allowed it to give the least advantage for promotion. and as he is now 35. and 13$\frac{1}{2}$ years a Lieut he can never rise to the higher ranks, or look forward to any thing but one day being a Retired Captain.⁸

I have not heard from any of our old party for some months. Mellersh⁹ was very unwell and going for a change to Brighton. I hope to see Usborne¹⁰ in July—as my wife and I hope to go to Cornwall, after some visits in Devon; & shall be some days at Plymouth.

I hear of you all now & then from M^r. Langton. My wife joins me in very kind regards to M^rs. Darwin & yourself and all your party.

I hope your dear little grandchild¹¹ that I saw is flourishing.

Believe me dear Darwin | yours most sincerely | B. J. Sulivan