160 DOWN. [Ch. VIIL 



wretched lines indicating only a few prominent external 

 characters." 



In 1848 Dr. R. W. Darwin died, and Charles Darwin wrote 

 to Hooker, from Malvern : — 



" On the 13th of November, my poor dear father died, and no 

 one who did not know him would believe that a man above 

 eighty-three years old could have retained so tender and 

 affectionate a disposition, with all his sagacity unclouded to 

 the last. I was at the time so unwell, that I was unable to 

 travel, which added to my misery. 



" All this winter I have been bad enough . . . and my nervous 

 system began to be affected, so that my hands trembled, and 

 head was often swimming. I was not able to do anything one 

 day out of three, and was altogether too dispirited to write to 

 you, or to do anything but what I was compelled. I thought I 

 was rapidly going the way of all flesh. Having heard, acci- 

 dentally, of two persons who had received much benefit from 

 the water-cure, I got Dr. Gully's book, and made further 

 inquiries, and at last started here, with wife, children, and all 

 our servants. We have taken a house for two months, and 

 have been here a fortnight. I am already a little stronger . . . 

 Dr. Gully feels pretty sure he can do me good, which most 



certainly the regular doctors could not I feel certain 



that the water-cure is no quackery. 



" How I shall enjoy getting back to Down with renovated 

 health, if such is to be my good fortune, and resuming the 

 beloved Barnacles. Now I hope that you will forgive me for 

 my negligence in not having sooner answered your letter. I 

 was uncommonly interested by the sketch you give of your 

 intended grand expedition, from which I suppose you will 

 soon be returning. How earnestly I hope that it may prove 

 in every way successful. . . ." 



C. D. to W. D. Fox. [March 7, 1852.] 



Our long silence occurred to me a few weeks since, and I 

 had then thought of writing, but was idle. I congratulate 

 and condole with you on your tenth child ; but please to 

 observe when I have a tenth, send only condolences to me. 

 We have now seven children, all well, thank God, as well as 

 their mother ; of these seven, five are boys ; and my father 

 used to say that it was certain that a boy gave as much trouble 

 as three girls ; so that bond fide we have seventeen children. 

 It makes me sick whenever I think of professions ; all seem 

 hopelesily bad, and as yet I cannot see a ray of light. I 



