296 THE SPREAD OF EVOLUTION. [ch. xiv. 



late to happy old days spent at Woodhouse. I should very 

 much like to hear a little news about yourself and the other 

 members of your family, if you will take the trouble to 

 write to me. Formerly I used to glean some news about 

 you from my sisters. 



I have had many years of bad health and have not been 

 able to visit anywhere ; and now I feel very old. As long 

 as I pass a perfectly uniform life, I am able to do some daily 

 work in Natural History, which is still my passion, as it 

 was in old days, when you used to laugh at me for collecting 

 beetles with such zeal at Woodhouse. Excepting from my 

 continued ill-health, which has excluded me from society, 

 my life has been a very happy one ; the greatest drawback 

 being that several of my children have inherited from me 

 feeble health. I hope with all my heart that you retain, at 

 least to a large extent, the famous " Owen constitution." 

 With sincere feelings of gratitude and affection for all bear- 

 ing the name of Owen, I venture to sign myself, 



Yours affectionately, 

 Charles Darwin". 



