My dear M^r. Darwin

Your letter of the 5^th. was extremely acceptable to me, not only on account of the shrubs—(which arrived this morning, and are already planted)—and the promised book, for all of which I return many thanks—but because it assures me that you have got safely back into your own home¹ and normal studies from out of that strange world where the clouds have a “vibratory motion” and the skies a “diminished light in them”. What all that forebodes for for ordinary mortals none but “Zadkiel” himself can expound.² But it is satisfactory to think that you have escaped without damage from such an awful phenomenon. In truth I have always thought that Oxford Professor a trifle demented upon certain subjects; the more so as I myself have never been able to reach the transcendental state of Turneromania.—³ I have several times felt a gentle pricking of conscience for not having written to thank you for that very kind and amusing letter you sent me from Coniston.⁴ Yet the silence was not altogether without design; for I can easily imagine the demands that must be made upon your time and patience by all sorts of correspondents, for any one, who has a conscience in these matters, not permitting himself to encrease the evil, when he could well wait for some favourable opportunity as has now befallen me. And oh! I can truly commiserate you on the irksome task of having to read and revise the proofs of such a work as you allude to, the minuteness of detail and fixedness of attention required being almost as wearying to the sight as to the mind.⁵ The genuine love for truth and science and a determination not to be hurried over the matter, are the only things, I fancy, which can enable a man to get through such work without a break down— But then the satisfaction when it has been sucessfully accomplished! and the glow of triumph when adhesions flock in!. and the thought that the labour is for the profit of others more than self.!—

Your eldest son⁶ came over and paid me a flying visit in the month of September. He was very pleasant; we soon became acquainted; and my only regret was that the time was necessarily so short. Upon returning to Southampton he was kind enough to interest himself on my behalf in procuring me a heifer from a well known dealer there who imports animals from the Channel Islands. She bids fair I think to turn out well, reasonably well looking, and extremely quiet; to me a matter of considerable importance as she has be tethered in her circumscribed paddock all day long. Now that I learn from you that he has returned from his tour in Switzerland, I shall take the liberty of writing to him, and asking his advice upon some points of treatment, as he himself keeps animals of the same breed. He told me something about “cotton cake” being good for them.⁷ People here know nothing about it. My animal does not seem inclined to eat hay at night—only the abundant washy grass of which she gets a generous fill during the day time, which makes her, as it seems to me too loose, requiring something more solid to steady it that she will eat. I dare say that he will enlighten and instruct me upon the subject when he has a half hour to spare.

The “mumps”, as you say, is no joke—if that is not bad grammar— I did not send for a doctor; but fed for 10 days upon good strong beef tea, as I could not open my mouth wide enough to get anything in between the teeth, and could not bite if it had got in   The consequence was that I have passed an unhappy time of it, but did not know what it was till the end had passed. I did not catch it from any one; though I have since heard that the complaint is catching and has been prevalent at Worthing of late.

Doubtless it will be a sincere pleasure to you that your youngest son is going to be well and comfortably settled in life by uniting himself with a young lady who can charm his parents as well as himself.⁸ I send them my unknown congratulations; with the hope that if they should ever be in this neighbourhood, as might probably happen, they would not leave it without giving me an opportunity of making their acquaintance.—

Having thus got down to the end of a second sheet, I must draw the bit without venturing upon further chatter.

With best regards & respects to M^rs. Darwin, and a cordial wish for your happy emergence out of those proofs & revises | Believe me to be | Most truly yours | Anthony Rich