To W. D. Fox [12 February 1859]1
Moor Park, Farnham | Surrey
Saturday
My dear Fox
It is long since we have had any communication, so I am tempted to send you a scrap to extract a scrap from you, with news about yourself.— I have been extra bad of late, with the old severe vomiting rather often & much distressing swimming of the head; I have been here a week & shall stay another & it has already done me good.2 I am taking Pepsine, ie the chief element of the gastric juice, & I think it does me good & at first was charmed with it. My abstract is the cause, I believe of the main part of the ills to which my flesh is heir to; but I have only two more chapters & to correct all, & then I shall be a comparatively free man.— I have had the great satisfaction of converting Hooker & I believe Huxley & I think Lyell is much staggered.
We are a very pleasant party here & are very comfortable & I am glad to say that not one of Dr Lane’s patients has given him up & he gets a few fresh ones pretty regularly.3 He is most eager to build an Establishment near the Crystal Palace; but I fear will fail for want of Funds.—4 All my home party are with the Langtons & they went there on account of Etty, who has lately fallen back grievously owing to a very slight attack of fever.—5
William is very happy at Cambridge & he has changed into my old rooms & has taken my old engravings & with old Impey,6 it must be a sort of resurrection.
Let me some time have a note telling me about yourself & belongings
My dear Fox | Ever yours most truly | C. Darwin
Footnotes
Bibliography
Metcalfe, Richard. 1906. The rise and progress of hydropathy in England and Scotland. London: Simpkin, Marshall, Hamilton, Kent & Co.
Summary
Undergoing hydropathic treatment for his old ailment.
The "Abstract" [Origin] is the cause. Only two chapters to do.
His satisfaction that he believes he has convinced Hooker and Huxley and staggered Lyell.
Letter details
- Letter no.
- DCP-LETT-2412
- From
- Charles Robert Darwin
- To
- William Darwin Fox
- Sent from
- Moor Park
- Source of text
- Christ’s College Library, Cambridge (MS 53 Fox 106)
- Physical description
- ALS 5pp
Please cite as
Darwin Correspondence Project, “Letter no. 2412,” accessed on 1 September 2024, https://www.darwinproject.ac.uk/letter/?docId=letters/DCP-LETT-2412.xml
Also published in The Correspondence of Charles Darwin, vol. 7