1852.] CHIMNEY SWEEPS. 383 



little Society in Shrewsbury to prosecute those who break the 

 law. It is all Susan's doing. She has had very nice letters 

 from Lord Shaftesbury and the Duke of Sutherland, but the 

 brutal Shropshire squires are as hard as stones to move. The 

 Act out of London seems most commonly violated. It 

 makes one shudder to fancy one of one's own children at 

 seven years old being forced up a chimney to say nothing 

 of the consequent loathsome disease and ulcerated limbs, 

 and utter moral degradation. If you think strongly on this 

 subject, do make some enquiries ; add to your many good 

 works, this other one, and try to stir up the magistrates. 

 There are several people making a stir in different parts of 

 England on this subject. It is not very likely that you 

 would wish for such, but I could send you some essays and 

 information if you so liked, either for yourself or to give 

 away. 



C. Darwin to W. D. Fox. 



Down [October 24th, 1852]. 



MY DEAR FOX, I received your long and most welcome 

 letter this morning, and will answer it this evening, as I 

 shall be very busy with an artist, drawing Cirripedia, and 

 much overworked for the next fortnight. But first you deserve 

 to be well abused and pray consider yourself well abused 

 for thinking or writing that I could for one minute be bored 

 by any amount of detail about yourself and belongings. It is 

 just what I like hearing ; believe me that I often think of old 

 days spent with you, and sometimes can hardly believe what 

 a jolly careless individual one was in those old days. A bright 

 autumn evening often brings to mind some shooting excursion 

 from Osmaston. I do indeed regret that we live so far off 

 each other, and that I am so little locomotive. I have been un- 

 usually well of late (no water-cure), but I do not find that I 

 can stand any change better than formerly. . . The other day 

 I went to London and back, and the fatigue, though so trifling, 



