1830.] BEETLE COLLECTING. 1^ 



think he is looking very well. Chapman wants you and 

 myself to pay him a visit when you come up, and begs to be 

 remembered to you. You must excuse this short letter, as I 

 have no end more to send off by this day's post. I long to 

 see you again, and till then, 



My dear good old Fox, 



Yours most sincerely, 



C. DARWIN. 



[In August he was in North Wales and wrote to Fox : 

 " I have been intending to write every hour for the last 

 fortnight, but really have had no time. I left Shrewsbury this 

 day fortnight ago, and have since that time been working 

 from morning to night in catching fish or beetles. This is 

 literally the first idle day I have had to myself ; for on the 

 rainy days I go fishing, on the good ones entomologising. 

 You may recollect that for the fortnight previous to all this, 

 you told me not to write, so that I hope I have made out 

 some sort of defence for not having sooner answered your 

 two long and very agreeable letters."] 



C. Darwin to W. D. Fox. 



[Cambridge, November 5, 1830.] 

 MY DEAR Fox, 



I have so little time at present, and am so disgusted by 

 reading that I have not the heart to write to anybody. I 

 have only written once home since I came up. This must 

 excuse me for not having answered your three letters, for 

 which I am really very much obliged. . . . 



I have not stuck an insect this term, and scarcely opened 

 a case. If I had time I would have sent you the insects which 

 I have so long promised ; but really I have not spirits or time 

 to do anything. Reading makes me quite desperate; the 

 plague of getting up all my subjects is next thing to intoler- 

 able. Henslow is my tutor, and a most admirable one he 

 makes ; the hour with him is the pleasantest in the whole day. 



