My dear William

I enclose M^r Hacon’s note about your will;² you will see that it is of no importance making one at present; but of course you can do as you like. Whenever you do make a will always consult a Lawyer.— My will, as you know is equal partition; up to about ^£15,000, & if there should be more, all excess to be divided equally amongst the sons alone.—

I enclose a nice note from Franky.³

Mamma goes tomorrow to Hastings for 4 or 5 days to see Aunt Charlotte, whose health, I fear, is rapidly failing & I doubt whether she will live very long.—⁴ Poor Mammy has been having bad toothach, & on Sunday M^r Engleheart pulled out one.—⁵

Skimp was pleased by your note.⁶ A run-away-horse at night is no joke, & I am heartily glad you were not hurt.— (N.B people do not go at full “tare” along the “rode”).— You seem to getting on well with pleasant acquaintances. The mathematicks must come hard.— I wonder in how many months you will feel up to all the account Books.—

Your letters are a great pleasure to us.—

I keep up Torquay good habits & almost every day take a pretty good walk in the country.⁷ I met Montagu L. lately with arm in sling: Lenny says his manner of speaking seems altered⁸

Sir John has been laid up at Geneva by gout for a fortnight; what a time poor Lady L. must have had; but I daresay the gout will make him less cracky.—⁹

I have been doing some good work at the homologies of Orchids, by tracing their vessels, & Hooker thinks that I have made out their structure well.—

Good Night, my dear old fellow.—

Your affect^y. | C. Darwin