My dear Father,

I return Col. Chester’s letter, I will look up the deeds sometime myself.¹

I am very sorry to hear what Henrietta thinks of y^r. proofs, Tho’ I did not read it critically myself, I can’t say I agree with her. It is very hard to imagine oneself as outsider, but I think if it were very dull I cdn’t possibly have read it right off at a sitting as I did.² I quite think the old D’s sh^d. be touched on in the lightest way—in a short note or something of the kind.³

I also felt some doubt about the doggrel about the hare-hunting.⁴ If it is short (as it is already) I believe the world will read it with interest.

I have sent off my papers to the R.S at last thank goodness & have begun to tackle my former difficulty, & the more I work at it the more terribly hard it seems; but I suppose I shall get thro’ it somehow.⁵ Perhaps I shall get on better. When I am better—for I don’t get rid of my cold at all in fact rather the reverse.

Horace has been very jolly tho’ perhaps not very well & has been about with Dew all day.⁶ They went over to Michael Foster’s to dinner yesterday. There does’nt seem much hope of decent weather yet.⁷

When does Frank return?⁸

Your affectionate Son | G H Darwin