1 843.] CAPTAIN FITZ-ROY. 331 



It will be seen that he was absent from home sixty weeks 

 in twelve years. But it must be remembered that much of 

 the remaining time spent at Down was lost through ill- 

 health.] 



LETTERS. 

 C. Darwin to R. Fits-Roy. 



Down [March, 3ist, 1843]. 



DEAR FiTZ-ROY, I read yesterday with surprise and the 

 greatest interest, your appointment as Governor of New 

 Zealand. I do not know whether to congratulate you on it, 

 but I am sure I may the Colony, on possessing your zeal and 

 energy. I am most anxious to know whether the report is 

 true, for I cannot bear the thoughts of your leaving the 

 country without seeing you once again ; the past is often in 

 my memory, and I feel that I owe to you much bygone enjoy- 

 ment, and the whole destiny of my life, which (had my health 

 been stronger) would have been one full of satisfaction to me. 

 During the last three months I have never once gone up to 

 London without intending to call in the hopes of seeing Mrs. 

 Fitz-Roy and yourself; but I find, most unfortunately for 

 myself, that the little excitement of breaking out of my most 

 quiet routine so generally knocks me up, that I am able to do 

 scarcely anything when in London, and I have not even been 

 able to attend one evening meeting of the Geological Society. 

 Otherwise, I am very well, as are, thank God, my wife and 

 two children. The extreme retirement of this place suits us 

 all very well, and we enjoy our country life much. But I am 

 writing trifles about myself, when your mind and time must 

 be fully occupied. My object in writing is to beg of you or 

 Mrs. Fitz-Roy to have the kindness to send me one line to 

 say whether it is true, and whether you sail soon. I shall 

 come up next week for one or two days ; could you see me 

 for even five minutes, if I called early on Thursday morning, 



