126 WORK ON 'MAN.' [1870. 



C. Darwin to B. J. Sulivan* 



Down, June 30 [1870]. 



My dear Sulivan, — It was very good of you to write to 

 me so long a letter, telling me much about yourself and your 

 children, which I was extremely glad to hear. Think what a 

 benighted wretch I am, seeing no one and reading but little 

 in the newspapers, for I did not know (until seeing the paper 

 of your Natural History Society) that you were a K.C.B. 

 Most heartily glad I am that the Government have at last 

 appreciated your most just claim for this high distinction. On 

 the other hand, I am sorry to hear so poor an account of your 

 health ; but you were surely very rash to do all that you did 

 and then pass through so exciting a scene as a ball at the 

 Palace. It was enough to have tired a man in robust health. 

 Complete rest will, however, I hope, quite set you up again. 

 As for myself, I have been rather better of late, and if nothing 

 disturbs me I can do some hours' work every day. I shall 

 this autumn publish another book partly on man, which I 

 dare say many will decry as very wicked. I could have 

 travelled to Oxford, but could no more have withstood the 

 excitement of a commemoration f than I could a ball at 

 Buckingham Palace. Many thanks for your kind remarks 

 about my boys. Thank God, all give me complete satisfac- 

 tion ; my fourth stands second at Woolwich, and will be an 

 Engineer Officer at Christmas. My wife desires to be very 

 kindly remembered to Lady Sulivan, in which I very sincerely 

 join, and in congratulation about your daughter's marriage. 

 We are at present solitary, for all our younger children are 



* Admiral Sir James Sulivan was bury on assuming the office of 



a lieutenant on board the Beagle. Chancellor of the University of 



t This refers to an invitation to Oxford. The fact that the honour 



receive the honorary degree of was declined on the score of ill— 



D.C.L. He was one of those nomi- health was published in the Oxford 



nated for the degree by Lord Salis- University Gazette, June 17, 1870. 



