SOUTH AMERICAN MISSION. 307 



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 sincere- 

 ly join, and in congratulation about your daughter's marriage. 

 We are at present solitary, for all our younger children are 

 gone a tour in Switzerland. I had never heard a word about 

 the success of the T. del Fuego mission. It is most wonder- 

 ful, and shames me, as I always prophesied utter failure. It 

 is a grand success. I shall feel proud if your Committee 

 think fit to elect me an honorary member of your society. 

 With all good wishes and affectionate remembrances of ancient 

 days, 



Believe me, my dear Sulivan, 



Your sincere friend, 



CH. DARWIN. 



[My father's connection with the South American Mission, 

 which is referred to in the above letter, has given rise to some 

 public comment, and has been to some extent misunderstood. 

 The Archbishop of Canterbury, speaking at the annual meet- 

 ing of the South American Missionary Society, April 2ist, 

 1885,* said that the Society "drew the attention of Charles 

 Darwin, and made him, in his pursuit of the wonders of the 

 kindom of nature, realise that there was another kingdom just 

 as wonderful and more lasting." Some discussion on the 

 subject appeared in the Daily News of April 23rd, 24th, 29th, 

 1885, and finally Admiral Sir James Sulivan, on April 24th, 

 wrote to the same journal, giving a clear account of my fath- 

 er's connection with the Society : 



" Your article in the Daily News of yesterday induces me 

 to give you a correct statement of the connection between the 

 South American Missionary Society and Mr. Charles Darwin, 

 my old friend and shipmate for five years. I have been 



* I quote a ' Leaflet,' published by the Society. 



