Summary

Questions about his college bills.

Describes the living conditions he will have on the Beagle.

Summary

Theatre at Shrewsbury.

Spark’s death.

Harry [Henry Allen] Wedgwood will make the circuit for the first time at the forthcoming assizes.

Summary

His fossil bones are unpacked and some are great treasures. He has some geology to do: R. I. Murchison has lent him a map and asked him to look at a part of the country he has been describing.

Their only protection against having Harriet Martineau as sister-in-law is that she works Erasmus too hard.

Summary

Describes his routine for a typical day – writing Coral reefs, studying German.

FitzRoy’s "Deluge Chapter" [Narrative 2, ch. 28] will amuse her.

His opinion of Carlyle’s Critical and miscellaneous essays [1839].

Summary

Interested in Lyell’s address [Proc. Geol. Soc. Lond. 2 (1833–8): 479–523]. Asks what the points are on which CD and Lyell are fully agreed.

Inquires about the paper FitzRoy and CD wrote on missionaries ["Moral state of Tahiti" (1836), Collected papers 1: 19–38].

News of family.

Summary

Family news. Uncle Jos [Josiah Wedgwood II] has been returned to Parliament with a fine majority.

Summary

Tells of gay times with guests.

Summary

News of family and friends.

Summary

Describes his trip to north of Santa Fé, his illness, and return by boat to Buenos Aires – which he found in the throes of a revolution. Covington is cut off from the town, which some expect to be plundered.

Summary

His troubles during the revolution have ended well.

Now plans to investigate geological formations at Rio Negro. Is concerned about the expense but cannot bear to miss seeing "one of the most curious pieces of Geology".

Summary

In five days of geologising on St Helena, he found that the shells on high land had been mistakenly identified as seashells. They are land shells, but of species no longer living.

Can think of nothing but the return to England and his family.

Summary

Urges him to return home. News of family and friends; the Langtons will go to Rio in April and then winter in the West Indies. Henslow has a son.

Summary

With the help of General Rosas, CD has just finished an overland journey from Patagones to Buenos Aires; he tells of fossil finds at Bahia Blanca and Guardia del Monte. Spring reminds him of home.

Summary

CD comments on lectures and lecturers at Edinburgh.

Summary

News of family and friends.

Word that William Clift thinks CD’s latest fossils are of much value.

Summary

Describes his trip from Coquimbo to Copiapò, where he rejoined the Beagle – a hard and wearisome journey, but geologically interesting.

FitzRoy piloted the [Blonde] to rescue crew of wrecked Challenger.

CD has received letters that were missing, and others; for ten months there will be none to or from him.

Summary

Has just given a paper [on "Sand tubes"] at Cambridge Philosophical Society and exhibited some specimens. It went well, with Whewell and Sedgwick taking an active part.

Herschel thinks 6000–odd years since the creation not nearly long enough to explain the separations from a single stock.

Summary

News of family and friends. Hensleigh Wedgwood’s scruples about swearing oaths.

Summary

Send their thanks to JSH for allowing them to see the two letters, one written ten days later than any they have received.

Summary

Brings CD up to date on family and many friends. Describes the wedding of Fanny Owen and R. M. Biddulph. Sedgwick called on return from Wales. W. D. Fox has been very ill.