My dear Fox

As you said you would like to hear how we were going on, I write to say thatwe are all very fairly well, & after some house-hunting are settled here till next Tuesday when we go to Norfolk House Shanklin, where there is a single row of Houses on the Beach. This place has evidently sprung up like a mushroom; & there are three hotels & many villas. Years ago you took me across the isl^d. & I have a great notion that the solitary sandy bay which I then saw must this be place.—¹ It suits us very fairly & the little Boys are very happy.

We have just heard of my sisters Marianne Parker’s death,—a blessed relief after long continued & latterly very severe suffering.² She was an admirable woman, & I thank God is at rest. We are all here, but my eldest son starts in a week’s time abroad, for a little tour before going to old Christ College.—³

After all, I am now beginning to prepare an abstract of my Species Theory. By an odd coincidence, M^r Wallace in the Malay Archipelago sent to me an Essay containing my exact theory; & asking me to show it to Lyell. The latter & Hooker have taken on themselves to publish it in Linnean Journal, together some notes of mine written very many years ago; & both of them have urged me so strongly to publish a fuller abstract, that I have resolved to do it, & shall do nothing till completed: it will be published, probably, in Journal of Linn. Soc^y. & I shall have separate copies & will send you one.— It is impossible in abstract to do justice to subject.—

There has been another child die in village of Down; which makes the fifth; so we rejoice we acted on your advice & left home.— We shall stay here to middle of August.—

With very sincere thanks for all your most kind sympathy. | My dear Fox | Yours most truly | C. Darwin

D^r. Lane has his house full, I am glad to say.⁴