CD and Erasmus continue to search for a house in central London. They have tea with the Carlyles.
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CD and Erasmus continue to search for a house in central London. They have tea with the Carlyles.
His search for a London house. He visits the Lyells, who give solemn advice to choose their London acquaintances carefully.
The house at 12 Upper Gower Street is theirs.
Has moved into the Gower Street house. Is pleased with it and its location.
Hopes to be able to finish his Glen Roy paper soon.
His dinner with the Carlyles. "He is the best worth listening to of any man" – but CD cannot get up much admiration for Mrs C, partly because of her Scots accent, which makes her difficult to understand.
Has been with the Lyells doing geology.
Is reading a biography of Sir W. Scott [J. G. Lockhart, Memoirs of the life of Sir Walter Scott (1837–8)]; also Mungo Park’s book [Travels (1799)].
Has hired a cook at fourteen guineas a year with tea and sugar.
Comments on recent visit to Maer. Explains that his notion of happiness as quietness and solitude derives from Beagle experience. Hopes Emma will humanise him. Comments on marriage planned for Tuesday.
Describes recent visit by Lyell and his wife. Talked geology for half an hour "with poor Mrs Lyell sitting by". "I want practice in ill-treating the female sex."
He has the wedding ring. Agrees to coming straight home after the wedding, if that is what she prefers.
An amusing description of his railway journey to Shrewsbury.
Family news. Mainly concerned about Doddy’s [W. E. Darwin’s] health.
The happy family life at Shrewsbury. CD is looking so well his father would not have known there was anything the matter with him. The year’s accounts come to £1380.
Family news from Shrewsbury.
News of family and of his stay at Shrewsbury.
Calculates the newly instituted income tax will mean £30 per annum.
Is "stomachy and be-blue-devilled" because of costs of publishing [Zoology and Coral reefs]. Wonders how the remainder [of the Zoology and Geology of "Beagle"] can be published without taking £200 or £300 out of their personal funds.
News of the Shrewsbury family. He cannot get his father to sympathise with the numbness in his finger ends or his fears of "ruin and extravagance".
Arrangements for Emma’s return to Down.
CD has been "wonderfully strong".
Asks that in the event of his death, Emma should have the sketch of his species theory edited and published. Suggests possible editors, among them Lyell, Edward Forbes, and J. D. Hooker. [CD annotation on cover: "Hooker by far best man to edit my species volume Aug 1854".]
Has been discussing wills and other legal matters with his father.
Mainly news of the three children.
News of the children and books he is reading.