234 A- Century of Family Letters [CHAP, xvi 



Charles Darwin to his son William. 



DOWN, Dec. 12th, 1878. 



MY DEAR WILLIAM, 



I have a curious bit of news to tell you, A few days 

 ago Mr Anthony Rich, of Heene, Worthing, wrote to me 

 that he with his sister was the last of his family, and that 

 he had always thought under such circumstances ' those 

 should be remembered, whose abilities &c., &c., had been 

 devoted &c., &c., for the benefit of mankind "; with more 

 to the same effect and to my great honour. Therefore he 

 had bequeathed to me nearly all his property after his and 

 his sister's death. I heard from him again to-day with 

 particulars. The property is not of a very inviting kind, 

 viz. a share of houses in Cornhill, which brings in annually 

 rather above 1,100. This bequest, as you may believe, has 

 astonished and pleased me greatly; though in a money sense 

 it will make no difference whatever to me or your mother. 

 Mr Rich is 74 years old and his sister a year younger. I 

 never before heard of a bequest to a man for what he has 

 been able to do in Science. 



My dear old William, 



Your affectionate father, 



CH. DARWIN. 

 My best love to Sara. 



Emma Darwin to her daughter Henrietta Litchfleld. 



Tuesday [1878]. 



. . . Bernard is perfectly well and has the most comical 

 games putting ' dole ' (gold) pennies and silver pennies 

 under each of the buttons in a certain chair, in and out 

 of his pockick 20 times this has lasted 3 days. For 2 

 days, stirring up dry middlings for the birds was quite 

 delightful and very little mess made (considering). ... I 

 quite agree with you about F.'s signing too readily; even if 

 the object is undeniably good, but especially when I think 



