tt/4 CAMBRIDGE. /ETAT. KJ-22. [1829. 



[In the following January we find him looking forward with 

 pleasure to the beginning of another year of his Cambridge 

 life : he writes to Fox 



" I waited till to-day for the chance of a letter, but 

 I will wait no longer. I must most sincerely and cordially 

 congratulate you on having finished all your labours. I think 

 your place a very good one considering by how much you 

 have beaten many men who had the start of you in reading. 

 I do so wish I were now in Cambridge (a very selfish wish, 

 however, as I was not with you in all your troubles and 

 misery), to join in all the glory and happiness, which dangers 

 gone by can give. How we would talk, walk, and entomolo- 

 gise ! Sappho should be the best of bitches, and Dash, of 

 dogs : then should be ' peace on earth, good will to men,' 

 which, by the way, I always think the most perfect descrip- 

 tion of happiness that words can give."] 



C. Darwin to W. D. Fox. 



Cambridge, Thursday [February 26, 1829]. 

 MY DEAR FOX, 



When I arrived here on Tuesday I found to my great 

 grief and surprise, a letter on my table which I had written to 

 you about a fortnight ago, the stupid porter never took the 

 trouble of getting the letter forwarded. I suppose you have 

 been abusing me for a most ungrateful wretch ; but I am sure 

 you will pity me now, as nothing is so vexatious as having 

 written a letter in vain. 



Last Thursday I left Shrewsbury for London, and stayed 

 there till Tuesday, on which I came down here by the * Times.' 

 The first two days I spent entirely with Mr. Hope,* and did 

 little else but talk about and look at insects ; his collection is 

 most magnificent, and he himself is the most generous of 

 entomologists ; he has given me about 160 new species, and 

 * Founder of the Chair of Zoology at Oxford. 



