196 [CHAP, xiv 



CHAPTER XIV 



18701871 



The Descent of Man Polly the Ur-hund The Franco -German War 

 On keeping Sunday Erasmus Darwin The marriage of 

 Henrietta Darwin A wedding-gift from the Working Men's 

 College. 



IN January, 1870, I went to Cannes. Fanny Allen wrote 

 to my mother: "It is marvellous to me, sitting by the fire 

 rejoicing in the repose, to read of the rushing of the young 

 to all points of the compass in such weather ! But in reality 

 at their age, if I had had their power, I should have done the 

 same. I now only wonder at the progress of kindness and 

 indulgence on the parents' part that aid their children in 

 their natural tastes." 



Whilst I was abroad the proof-sheets of The Descent of 

 Man were sent out to me to read. My mother wrote to me 

 of one of the chapters: " I think it will be very interesting, 

 but that I shall dislike it very much as again putting God 

 further off." To show how delightfully my father took any 

 help his children gave him, I give two letters he wrote to me, 

 although of course the praise is out of all proportion to the 

 real value of my corrections for the press. 



Charles Darwin to his daughter Henrietta. 



MY DEAR H., s P rin 9> 187 - 



I have worked through (and it is hard work), half of 

 the 2nd chapter on mind, and your corrections and sug- 

 gestions are excellent. I have adopted the greater number, 

 and I am sure that they are very great improvements. Some 

 of the transpositions are most just. You have done me 

 real service ; but, by Jove, how hard you must have worked, 



