1831.] W. D. FOX. 205 



C. Darwin to W. D. Fox. 



17 Spring Gardens, London, 



September 6, 1831. 



Your letter gave me great pleasure. You cannot imagine 

 how much your former letter annoyed and hurt me.* But, 

 thank heaven, I firmly believe that it was my own entire fault 

 in so interpreting your letter. I lost a friend the other day, 

 and I doubt whether the moral death (as I then wickedly 

 supposed) of our friendship did not grieve me as much as the 

 real and sudden death of poor Ramsay. We have known 

 each other too long to need, I trust, any more explanations. 

 But I will mention just one thing that on my death-bed, I 

 think I could say I never uttered one insincere (which at 

 the time I did not fully feel) expression about my regard for 

 you. One thing more the sending immediately the insects, 

 on my honour, was an unfortunate coincidence. I forgot how 

 you naturally would take them. When you look at them 

 now, I hope no unkindly feelings will rise in your mind, and 

 that you will believe that you have always had in me a 

 sincere, and, I will add, an obliged friend. The very many 

 pleasant minutes that we spent together in Cambridge rose 

 like departed spirits in judgment against me. May we have 

 many more such, will be one of my last wishes in leaving 

 England. God bless you, dear old Fox. May you always be 

 happy. 



Yours truly, 



CHAS. DARWIN. 



I have left your letter behind, so do not know whether I 

 direct right. 



* He had misunderstood a letter of Fox's as implying a charge of 

 falsehood. 



