262 THE VOYAGE. ^ETAT. 26. [1835. 



acacia and copper beech are two superb trees ; I shall know 

 every bush, and I will trouble you young ladies, when each of 

 you cut down your tree, to spare a few. As for the view 

 behind the house, I have seen nothing like it. It is the same 

 with North Wales ; Snowdon, to my mind, looks much 

 higher and much more beautiful than any peak in the Cordil- 

 leras. So you will say, with my benighted faculties, it is time 

 to return, and so it is, and I long to be with you. Whatever 

 the trees are, I know what I shall find all you. I am writing 

 nonsense, so farewell. My most affectionate love to all, and 

 I pray forgiveness from my father. 



Yours most affectionately, 



CHARLES DARWIN. 



C. Darwin to W. D. Fox. 



Lima, July, 1835. 



MY DEAR Fox, 



I have lately received two of your letters, one dated 

 June and the other November 1834 (they reached me, however, 

 in an inverted order). I was very glad to receive a history of 

 this most important year in your life. Previously I had only 

 heard the plain fact that you were married. You are a true 

 Christian and return good for evil, to send two such letters to 

 so bad a correspondent as I have been. God bless you for 

 writing so kindly and affectionately ; if it is a pleasure to 

 have friends in England, it is doubly so to think and know 

 that one is not forgotten, because absent. This voyage is 

 terribly long. I do so earnestly desire to return, yet I dare 

 hardly look forward to the future, for I do not know what 

 will become of me. Your situation is above envy : I do not 

 venture even to frame such happy visions. To a person fit to 

 take the office, the life of a clergyman is a type of all that is 

 respectable and happy. You tempt me by talking of your 

 fireside, whereas it is a sort of scene I never ought to think 



