Reports on health [of unidentified woman].
EAD will not think of coming to Down until their return.
An invitation to Down for Sunday 16 October.
Arranges for EH’s visit to Down.
News of the parish and neighbours.
CD pleased JBI is interested in his book [Cross and self-fertilisation].
He is pretty well and hard at work with Francis.
CD desires her to say that the cream of THF’s letter of congratulations about William [Darwin]’s marriage [to Sara Sedgwick] lay in the P.S. about "the beloved worms, and not in any such trifles as marrying, &c".
Has had two bad days with boils.
Is reading Last days of Pompeii [Edward Bulwer Lytton (1834)].
CD will be glad to see TWH on Friday next, and invites him to stay the night.
Reports on his father’s health, and Catherine’s. CD, himself, has been a little sick.
Hensleigh [Wedgwood] thinks he has settled the free-will question – "we have none whatsoever".
His health not good.
Has been reading John Evelyn’s Life of Mrs Godolphin, and Mme Sévigné.
Family news. Finds Shrewsbury too noisy.
Anxiety about R. W. Darwin’s health.
Has been unwell but is improving. His father also very ill.
Answers NAvM’s letter for CD. CD considers evolution is quite consistent with belief in God, but NvM must remember people mean different things by God.
CD fears he must wear Emma with his unwellness and complaints.
Sends some papers on Erasmus Darwin for CD.
Last night had tremendous thunderstorm. Will ask Goebel about proshelismus. Describes experiments on beans. Please send Bessy’s address. Has got to know nice Englishman named Purdy and his wife. Bathes nearly every night with the Finlander.
The entire family will set out for Malvern for six to eight weeks’ trial of J. M. Gully’s water-cure.
Family news.
Asks whether CD would object to a deputation from the Yorkshire Naturalists’ Union.
Found worm-casts atop a 2555–foot hill.
Arrangements for the disposal of the contents of Erasmus Alvey Darwin’s house at 6 Queen Anne Street, London.
The text on EAD’s gravestone.
