Volume I Part 21 (1/2)

I ah I aood dinners and other teroorse I have a capital friend in Lyell, and see a great deal of hi y I miss a walk in the country very reat part of the best enjoy, even for a week, fro time to come I fear it will be some time before we shallthe spring, and I do not think I shall be able to go down to Ca the Newmarket road to-morrow, but Oxford Street must do instead I do hate the streets of London Will you tell Henslow to be careful with the EDIBLE fungi froo, for I shall want some specimens for Mr Broho seems PARTICULARLY interested about them Tell Henslow, I think my silicified wood has unflintified Mr Brown's heart, for he was very gracious to os plants; but before he never would say a word It is just striking twelve o'clock; so I ish you a very good night

My dear Jenyns, Yours most truly, CHARLES DARWIN

[A feeeks later the plan see Government aid to have been adopted]

CHARLES DARWIN TO JS HENSLOW 36 Great Marlborough Street, [18th May, 1837]

My dear Henslow,

I was very glad to receive your letter I wantedon with your an to ache; it is almost a wonder you have any head left Your account of the Ga, but I cannot anyhow leave London I wanted to pay ood, dear people at Shrewsbury a visit of a few days, but I found I could not natures of the Duke of Somerset, as President of the Linnean, and of Lord Derby and Whewell, to a stateet this I shall apply to Governy' on some uniform plan It is quite ridiculous the time any operation requires which depends onvery steadily, but have only got two-thirds through the Journal part alone I find, though I reress is very slow: it is an awful thing to say to oneself, every fool and every clever land, if he chooses, may make as many ill-natured remarks as he likes on this unfortunate sentence

In August he writes to Henslow to announce the success of the schee of the ”Beagle”,'

through the prorant of 1000 pounds fro to you, to thank you ed my affair I waited till I had an intervieith the Chancellor of the Exchequer (T Spring Rice) He appointed to seeconversation with hihly obliging and kind than his whole manner He made no sort of restriction, but only told ht willing to do

”I expected rather an awful interview, but I never found anything less so in ood work; but I soh It will be excessively satisfactory at the end of some two years to find all materials made the most they were capable of”

Later in the autumn he wrote to Henslow: ”I have not been very well of late, with an uncoe o and live in the country for a feeeks” He accordingly took a holiday of about a month at Shrewsbury and Maer, and paid a visit in the Isle of Wight It was, I believe, during this visit, at Mr Wedgwood's house at Maer, that he made his first observations on the work done by earthworms, and late in the autuical Society

(”On the fores 574-576) During these two y of the Voyage of the ”Beagle”,' and in beginning to put together the Geological results of his travels

The following letter refers to the proposal that he should take the Secretaryshi+p of the Geological Society]

CHARLES DARWIN TO JS HENSLOW October 14th, [1837]

My dear Henslow,

I ae about the Secretaryshi+p I aly anxious for you to hear my side of the question, and will you be so kind as afterwards to giveto undertake the office for the following reasons: First, e of which would be almost necessary in order to shortentheain,how to pronounce a SINGLE word of French--a language so perpetually quoted It would be disgraceful to the Society to have a Secretary who could not read French Secondly, the loss of time; pray consider that I should have to look after the artists, superintend and furnish materials for the Government work, which will coularly All h state; none of my fossil shells worked up; and I haveup society and not wasting an hour, that I should finish y in a year and a half, by which tiher animals by others would be completed, and my whole time would then necessarily be required to complete myself the description of the invertebrate ones If this plan fails, as the Governy would necessarily be deferred till probably at least three years froreat part of the utility of the little I have done would be lost, and all freshness and pleasure quite taken from me

I know from experience the time required to s' If I was Secretary, and had tothe, and attendance would AT LEAST cost ht There are likewise other accidental and contingent losses of time; I know Dr Royle found the office consu up any a harder than I have done, I could save time, I would undertake the Secretaryshi+p; but I appeal to you whether, with , with torks in hand, and with the certainty, if I cannot coical part within a fixed period, that its publicationtime,--whether any Society whatever has any claiht I cannot agree that it is a duty onas I devote myself to the completion of the work I have in hand, to delay that, by undertaking what may be done by any person who happens to have more spare time than I have at present Moreover, so early in my scientific life, with so very reat honour, etc, for me, would be thefroerate the time the Secretaryshi+p would require; but I absolutely know the ti consu so selfish as to refuse Mr Whewell, more especially as he has always shown, in the kindest manner, an interest in my affairs But I cannot look forith even tolerable co on it heart and soul, and that would be iy in hand

My last objection is, that I doubt how far my health will stand the confinement of what I have to do, without any additional work Iidly, that when I consulted Dr Clark in town, he at first urgedpress for so which flurries s on a violent palpitation of the heart Now the Secretaryshi+p would be a periodical source of ht put together In fact, till I return to town, and see how I get on, if I wished the office ever soof you to excuse this very long prose all about reat interest I can neither bear to think myself very selfish and sulky, nor can I see the possibility ofa sacrifice of all ood deal of comfort

If you see Whewell, would you tell him the substance of this letter; or, if he will take the trouble, he may read it My dear Henslow, I appeal to you in loco parentis Pray tell e me by the activity of mind which you and a few others possess, for in that case the s in hand the pleasanter the work; but, though I hope I never shall be idle, such is not the case with me

Ever, dear Henslow, Yours most truly, C DARWIN

[He ultimately accepted the post, and held it for three years--fro assured of the Grant for the publication of the 'Zoology of the Voyage of the ”Beagle”,' there wasthe sche part of October and November]

CHARLES DARWIN TO JS HENSLOW [4th November, 1837]