My dear Fox

It is a long time since we have had any communication & I should like much to hear how you are yourself as well as M^rs Fox¹ & all your family.

I know you will wish to hear about me. I have had a bad time for the last 6 months & have been able to do no scientific work. I have put myself under D^r Bence Jones’s care & he has stopped my vomiting by a scanty diet of toast & meat; but I cannot recover my strength.² I know you are half a Doctor therefore I thought you w^d like to hear these details.

My Sister Susan’s health has lately been much failing & I fear from the last accounts that her state is becoming serious.³ As for the rest of us we are pretty well, at least for Darwins, & that is not saying much. My children however are all well I am thankful to say

Oct 26. I had dictated thus far yesterday, & now by an odd chance your kind & welcome letter has arrived.⁴ I heartily rejoice at the good account you give of yourself, patriarch as you are with your half dozen grandchildren   I congratulate you most sincerely on the brilliant success of your son & my Godson.⁵ My eldest son⁶ is established as a banker at Southampton & is fairly well contented with his lot. My second son George has just passed his Little go at Trin. Coll.⁷ He has a turn for mathematics, & means to try for a scholarship there this Easter.⁸ As for myself I have not gone out of my grounds for the last 12 months; but on Nov. 7. we go for a week to Erasmus’s in order that D^r Bence Jones may see me two or three times.⁹ I hope this may coincide with part of your visit, as I sh^d like extremely to see you again for a few minutes,—more than that I fear I c^d not stand.

My wife desires to join in very kind remembrances to Mrs Fox | My dear old friend | Yours affectionately | C. Darwin