350 LIFE AT DOWN. ,£TAT. 33-45. [1^52. 



ing to my old dry bones. And now I think I have told you 

 enough, and more than enough about the house of Darwin ; 

 so my dear old friend, farewell. What pleasant times we had 

 in drinking coffee in your rooms at Christ's College, and think 

 of the glories of Crux major.* Ah, in those days there were 

 no professions for sons, no ill-health to fear for them, no Cali- 

 fornian gold, no French invasions. How paramount the 

 future is to the present when one is surrounded by chil- 

 dren. My dread is hereditary ill-health. Even death is bet- 

 ter for them. My dear Fox, your sincere friend, 



C. Darwin. 



P. S. — .Susan has lately been working in a way which I 

 think truly heroic about the scandalous violation of the Act 

 against children climbing chimneys. We have set up a 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 conse- 

 quent 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 



* The beetle Panagcetis crux-major. 



