My dear W.

I sh^d. think that the Preference 5 per cent stock of the Southampton Docks would do very well, but you can settle as you think fit, for it concerns you all very much more than me.—¹ I have had to refund 30£ for Duty & ^£50 goes to Miles, but you can invest about the ^£1000, only there will be so much less to divide next year.² We had a note this morning from Leonard at Chatham, & he seems going on very well: he says that he has just invested £800!³ I am very glad that you approve of Romanes article:⁴ some have thought it vulgarly strong, but I & others did not think so,—though perhaps a few terms had better have been softened— I received this morning a remarkably nice letter from Wallace about the Pension—⁵ When you have a bit of leisure look to Petioles of Acacia & remember that I want to see the spec^s. & know which end was buried.⁶ I am now wholly rewriting my first chapter on habits & think that I shall show that worms have much bigger souls than anyone w^d suppose—⁷

Dear. old William—goodbye | C. Darwin

Down Jan. 31.—