l86 APPOINTMENT TO THE 'BEAGLE.' .^TAT. 22. [1831. 



20th of October I trust to be on the broad sea. My objection 

 to the vessel is its smallness, which cramps one so for room 

 for packing my own body and all my cases, &c., &c. As to 

 its safety, I hope the Admiralty are the best judges ; to a 

 landsman's eye she looks very small. She is a ten-gun three- 

 masted brig, but, I believe, an excellent vessel. So much for 

 my future plans, and now for my present. I go to-night by 

 the mail to Cambridge, and from thence, after settling my 

 affairs, proceed to Shrewsbury (most likely on Friday 23rd, 

 or perhaps before) ; there I shall stay a few days, and be 

 in London by the ist of October, and start for Plymouth on 

 the 9th. 



And now for the principal part of my letter. I do not 

 know how to tell you how very kind I feel your offer of com- 

 ing to see me before I leave England. Indeed I should like 

 it very much ; but I must tell you decidedly that I shall have 

 very little time to spare, and that little time will be almost 

 spoilt by my having so much to think about ; and secondly, 

 I can hardly think it worth your while to leave your parish 

 for such a cause. But I shall never forget such generous 

 kindness. Now I know you will act just as you think right ; 

 but do not come up for my sake. Any time is the same for 

 me. I think from this letter you will know as much of my 

 plans as I do myself, and will judge accordingly the where 

 and when to write to me. Every now and then I have mo- 

 ments of glorious enthusiasm, when I think of the date and 

 cocoa-trees, the palms and ferns so lofty and beautiful, every- 

 thing new, everything sublime. And if I live to see years 

 in after life, how grand must such recollections be ! Do you 

 know Humboldt.^ (if you don't, do so directly.) With what 

 intense pleasure he appears always to look back on the days 

 spent in the tropical countries. I hope when you next write 

 to Osmaston, [you will] tell them my scheme, and give them 

 my kindest regards and farewells. 



Good-bye, my dear Fox, 



Yours ever sincerely, 



Chas. Darwin. 



