126 WORK ON 'MAN.' [iS/CX 



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 \ 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. 



