230 DARWIN'S LETTERS TO R. TRIMEN 



The invitation conveyed in the following letter 

 (No. 8) exhibits the characteristic features de- 

 scribed by Mr. Francis Darwin. 1 



It was on this visit that Mr. Trimen heard 

 Darwin speak with such strong feeling on the 

 subject of Owen and the article in the Edinburgh 

 (see p. 28 n. 2). 



8. 



Dec. 24th [1867] DOWN. 



BROMLEY. 



KENT. S.E. 

 MY DEAR SIR 



If you are not engaged, will you give me the great 

 pleasure of your company here next Saturday, and stay 

 the Sunday with us. We dine at 7 oclock. You would 

 have to come by Train to Bromley, but I am sorry 

 to say this place is six miles from the Station. 



I am bound to tell you that my health is very un- 

 certain and I am continually liable to bad days, and even 

 on my best days I cannot talk long with anyone ; but 

 if you will put up with the best will to see as much 

 of you as I can, I hope that you will come. Pray 

 believe me, My dear Sir 



Yours very sincerely 



CH. DARWIN 



Of the remaining eleven letters six (Nos. 9-12, 

 15, 16) deal with subjects treated of in The 

 Descent of Man and Selection in relation to Sex-, 2 



1 Life and Letters, i. 139. 



2 The following references to information received from Roland 

 Trimen are printed in the index of this work (Ed. 1874, 682) : 'on 

 the proportion of the sexes in South African butterflies, 250 ; on 



