To J. S. Henslow [5 October 1846]
Down Farnborough Kent
Monday Morning
My dear Henslow
In a few days’ time my third & last Part of the Geology of the Voyage of the Beagle, viz on S. America will be published, & I want to know how I can send you a copy. I take shame to myself that the others were not sent, for I consider that you have a right to them.1 Have you any house of call, where your parcels accumulate?
I am very sorry & so is my wife that your scheme of paying us, a little visit on your way to Mr Jenyns broke down.—2 I shd. have much enjoyed having you here. I was at Southampton & saw there L. Jenyns: I did not think he was looking at all well; sadly too thin: I was very glad to hear from him, that Mrs. Henslow was a little better. L. Jenyn’s new book appears a very nice one, as far as I have read.—3 I wish you had been at Southampton; there was a capital congregation of naturalists & I saw many old friends & was introduced to many new acquaintances. Altogether we enjoyed (for my wife was with me) our week exceedingly, & took some little excursion, especially one to Winchester Cathedral. I think I shall certainly attend the Oxford meeting4 & no doubt you will be there.
You cannot think how delighted I feel at having finished all my Beagle materials, except some invertebrata: it is now 10 years since my return, & your words, which I thought preposterous, are come true, that it wd take twice the number of years to describe, that it took to collect & observe.
Farewell my dear Henslow, how I wish that I lived nearer to you | Yours most truly | C. Darwin
Footnotes
Bibliography
Coral reefs: The structure and distribution of coral reefs. Being the first part of the geology of the voyage of the Beagle, under the command of Capt. FitzRoy RN, during the years 1832 to 1836. By Charles Darwin. London: Smith, Elder & Co. 1842.
Correspondence: The correspondence of Charles Darwin. Edited by Frederick Burkhardt et al. 29 vols to date. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. 1985–.
Jenyns, Leonard. 1846. Observations in natural history: with an introduction on habits of observing, as connected with the study of that science. Also a calendar of periodic phenomena in natural history; with remarks on the importance of such registers. London: John Van Voorst.
Volcanic islands: Geological observations on the volcanic islands, visited during the voyage of HMS Beagle, together with some brief notices on the geology of Australia and the Cape of Good Hope. Being the second part of the geology of the voyage of the Beagle, under the command of Capt. FitzRoy RN, during the years 1832 to 1836. By Charles Darwin. London: Smith, Elder & Co. 1844.
Summary
The third and last part of the Geology [South America] will be published in a few days. Apologises for not sending JSH the other volumes.
Has attended Southampton [BAAS] meeting.
Letter details
- Letter no.
- DCP-LETT-1005
- From
- Charles Robert Darwin
- To
- John Stevens Henslow
- Sent from
- Down
- Source of text
- DAR 93: A15–A16
- Physical description
- ALS 4pp & C
Please cite as
Darwin Correspondence Project, “Letter no. 1005,” accessed on 19 April 2024, https://www.darwinproject.ac.uk/letter/?docId=letters/DCP-LETT-1005.xml
Also published in The Correspondence of Charles Darwin, vol. 3
