300 LIFE AT DOWN. .ETAT. 33-45. [1843, 



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, 

 viz. at nine or ten o'clock, or at whatever hour (if you keep 

 early ship hours) you finish your breakfast. Pray remember 

 me very kindly to Mrs. Fitz-Roy, who I trust is able to look 

 at her long voyage with boldness. 



Believe me, dear Fitz-Roy, 



Your ever truly obliged, 



Charles Darwin. 



[A quotation from another letter (1846) to Fitz-Roy may 

 be worth giving, as showing my father's affectionate remem- 

 brance of his old Captain. 



"Farewell, dear Fitz-Roy, I often think of your many 

 acts of kindness to me, and not seldomest on the time, no 

 doubt quite forgotten by you, when, before making Madeira, 

 you came and arranged my hammock with your own hands, 

 and which, as I afterwards heard, brought tears into my 

 father's eyes."] 



