Dear Innes.

Thanks for Coal-bill which I will pay as soon as I get home in about 10 days time.—¹ I am sincerely sorry to hear so poor an account of M^rs. Innes.²

We moved Etty here with much difficulty a fortnight ago, & she has improved very little, but thank God she has improved a little. She now can generally sit up for above $\frac{1}{2}$ hour twice a day. I have been a good deal knocked up of late & have had to recur to Water-cure; but all our anxiety with Etty ill for 12 weeks has been enough to knock us up. But my wife has stood the incessant nursing wonderfully. Women are so good & unselfish, that helping others seems to do them good.—

Our plans are utterly Uncertain; we hope to take Etty to sea, whenever she is strong enough; but where & when are both quite unknown to us.—

What a wandering life you have been leading!

We shall be very glad to see you at Down.—   I enquired (not alluding to you) about M^r Ainslie’s house,³ but can hear nothing whatever. Parslow asked M^r Baxter,⁴ but he knew nothing.

Farewell with our kind remembrances to M^rs. Innes— believe me | Dear Innes | Yours very sincerely | C. Darwin

I hope from your note that Johnny is tolerably well.— ⁵