24 A Century of Family Letters [CHAP, i 



little note, with a massive silver weapon, which he called 

 a Forficula (the Latin for an earwig) and which I thought 

 was to catch hold of soles and flounders, but Erasmus tells 

 me, is for asparagus so that two dishes are settled for our 

 first dinner, namely soup and asparagus. . . . 



The Lyells called on me to-day after church, as Lyell 

 was so full of Geology he was obliged to disgorge; and I 

 dine there on Tuesday for an especial conference. I was 

 quite ashamed of myself to-day, for we talked for half-an- 

 hour unsophisticated Geology, with poor Mrs Lyell sitting 

 by, a monument of patience. I want practice in ill-treating 

 the female sex. I did not observe Lyell had any com- 

 punction; I hope to harden my conscience in time: few 

 husbands seem to find it difficult to effect this. 



Since my return I have taken several looks, as you will 

 readily believe, into the drawing-room. I suppose my 

 taste in harmonious colours is already deteriorated, for I 

 declare the room begins to look less ugly. I take so much 

 pleasure in the house, I declare I am just like a great over- 

 grown child with a new toy; but then, not like a real child, 

 I long to have a co-partner and possessor. 



Charles Darwin to Emma Wedgwood. 



Saturday, SHREWSBURY [26 Jan., 1839]. 



. . . The house is in such a bustle, that I do not know 

 what I write. I have got the ring, which is the most im- 

 portant piece of news I have to tell. My two last days in 

 London, when I wanted to have most leisure, were rendered 

 very uncomfortable by a bad headache, which continued 

 two days and two nights, so that I doubted whether it ever 

 meant to go and allow me to be married. The railroad 

 yesterday, ho w ever, quite cured me. Before I came to 

 Maer last time, I was eager in my mind for the advantage 

 of going straight home after the awful ceremony. You, 

 however, made me just as determined on the advantages 

 of not going straight home, and now your last letter (for 

 which I return you thanks, for being so good a girl as to 



