My dear Fox

I am so sorry to hear of all your suffering: it is most grievous that you should so soon fall back after Malvern, & how patiently you seem to bear it.² I suppose the pain is extremely severe: very oddly I had yesterday morning just a touch of it; my back feeling locked & rigid! I never felt such a thing before.—

I should very much like to have ever such brief a note before very long to hear how you are getting on.— I had no idea that lumbago ever became so long-continued & severe as in your case.

I fear I sh^d. not possibly be able to join you, at Malvern; for I could hardly leave my wife now for the next two or three months.³

You ask Georgy’s age; he is just turned eleven: perhaps a little, & but very little earlier would have been better for his going; as he is thrown back by his entire ignorance of Greek: he is very forward in everything except that & Arithmetick, of which much account is made.⁴ Georgy was at first put under care of Penfold, & as he says that he (or his brother I forget which) is your God Child, he must be son of P. of Christ Coll:.—⁵

Many thanks for such answers as you could give to my diverse queries: I have since taken birds with seeds in crops to Eagles & Owls at Zoolog. Soc., & the pellets with all seeds apparently perfect were thrown up in 18 & 16 hours; but the Keepers thought this much sooner than often happens. We have thus an effective means of distribution of any seed eaten by any Birds, for Hawks & owls are often blown far out to sea: I am trying whether the seeds will germinate.—⁶

If when you are better you do not dislike writing to your nephew in Jamaica, it would be really an important gain to me, to know whether the eggs of Lizards, (or snakes) & Shells will float in sea-water say for a week (or 10 days); & if they will float for that time, if he would wash them in pure water & keep them to see whether they would hatch, it would be still greater Service. If many could be obtained it would be well to try whether some would hatch after 5 days floating & some after 10 days. But if they sink, I sh^d. care less.—

I have given up in despair trying to get lizards eggs in England.—⁷

But I fear your nephew w^d. think the experiment too foolish.

My dear old friend, no one can more sincerely wish for your recovery than I do.— With our very kind remembrances to M^rs. Fox | Your’s most truly | Ch. Darwin