4 A Century of Family Letters [CHAP, i 



I hope you have taken deep thought about the sundry 

 knotty points you will have to decide on. We must have a 

 great deal of talk together when I come back on Saturday. 

 Do have a fire in the Library it is such a good place to have 

 some quiet talk together. The question of houses, suburbs 

 versus central London rages violently around each fire- 

 place in this house. Suburbs have rather the advantage at 

 present ; and this, of course, rather inclines one to seek out 

 the arguments on the other side. The Governor gives much 

 good advice to live, wherever it may be, the first year 

 prudently and quietly. My chief fear is, that you will find, 

 after living all your life with such large and agreeable parties 

 as Maer only can boast of, our quiet evenings dull. You 

 must bear in mind, as some young lady said, " all men are 

 brutes," and that I take the line of being a solitary brute, 

 so you must listen with much suspicion to all arguments 

 in favour of retired places. I am so selfish, that I feel to 

 have you to myself is having you so much more completely 

 that I am not to be trusted. Like a child that has something 

 it loves beyond measure, I long to dwell on the words my 

 own dear Emma. As I ara writing jubfc as things come upper- 

 most in my mind, I beg of you not to read my letters to 

 anyone, for then I can fancy I am sitting by the side of my 

 own dear future wife, and to her own self I do not care 

 what nonsense I talk so let me have my way, and scribble, 

 without caring whether it be sense or nonsense. . . . 



My father echoes and re-echoes uncle Jos's words, " You 

 have drawn a prize !' : Certainly no man could by possi- 

 bility receive a more cordial welcome than I did from 

 every one at Maer on Monday morning. My life has been 

 very happy and very fortunate, and many of rny pleasantest 

 remembrances are mingled up with scenes at Maer, and now 

 it is crowned. My own dear Emma, I kiss the hands with 

 all humbleness and gratitude, which have so filled up for me 

 the cup of happiness It is my most earnest wish I may 

 make myself worthy of you. Good-bye. 



Most affectionately yours, 



CHAS. DARWIN. 



