CD is studying the Bible, likes the gospels best.
Glad he stayed for T. C. Hope’s lectures on electricity.
Is running short of funds.
Keeling Islands, his first coral lagoons; he has been occupied with subject of coral formation for six months.
Very busy at sea rewriting old geological notes. Has difficulties with writing.
FitzRoy has proposed joint account of the journey, combining CD’s journal with his own.
Looks forward with anxiety to Henslow’s reaction to the geological notes.
In five days of geologising on St Helena, he found that the shells on high land had been mistakenly identified as seashells. They are land shells, but of species no longer living.
Can think of nothing but the return to England and his family.
Last four days have been spent calling on naturalists. Geologists have been kind, but zoologists seem to think a number of undescribed creatures a nuisance.
Will send his belongings to Cambridge, but eventually his quarters must be London.
FitzRoy is to be married.
His fossil bones are unpacked and some are great treasures. He has some geology to do: R. I. Murchison has lent him a map and asked him to look at a part of the country he has been describing.
Their only protection against having Harriet Martineau as sister-in-law is that she works Erasmus too hard.
Dinner at the Hensleigh Wedgwoods’. They have agreed to go over his journal. Henry Holland thinks it not worth publishing alone because it goes over FitzRoy’s ground.
His impressions of Harriet Martineau: "She is overwhelmed with her own projects, her own thoughts and own abilities."
Has just given a paper [on "Sand tubes"] at Cambridge Philosophical Society and exhibited some specimens. It went well, with Whewell and Sedgwick taking an active part.
Herschel thinks 6000–odd years since the creation not nearly long enough to explain the separations from a single stock.
Sends a number of questions (to put to his father), mainly concerned with transmission of diseases, between Europeans and natives, "people packed together", etc.
Is investigating how to get Government support [for Zoology].
His books grow in size. Hopes to bring out work on volcanic islands and coral formations in the autumn or winter. The Journal of researches will not be published until autumn [actually not until 1839]. Whewell and Lyell flatter him about it. Has given up all society.
Describes his routine for a typical day – writing Coral reefs, studying German.
FitzRoy’s "Deluge Chapter" [Narrative 2, ch. 28] will amuse her.
His opinion of Carlyle’s Critical and miscellaneous essays [1839].
Had a pleasant week in London and is now enjoying Cambridge, where he is busy with work and social engagements.
Writes with great enthusiasm of his prospective trip to "the Tropics" [Canary Islands]. Henslow will cram him in geology. He is working regularly at Spanish.
Describes the gathering at Maer and the events culminating in Charlotte Wedgwood’s marriage to Charles Langton.
Brings CD up to date on family and many friends. Describes the wedding of Fanny Owen and R. M. Biddulph. Sedgwick called on return from Wales. W. D. Fox has been very ill.
News of the Darwin, Wedgwood, and Owen families, including a report on Frances Wedgwood’s death.
Family news. Uncle Jos [Josiah Wedgwood II] has been returned to Parliament with a fine majority.
Sends her love and family news.
News of family and friends.
News of family and friends. "I tell you all the gossip I can that you may know how the Shropshire world is going on."
Finds CD’s journal very entertaining and interesting, but thinks his style in first part too much influenced by Humboldt.
Sends some books by Harriet Martineau and Archbishop Whately.
Rejoices that the more he sees of Negroes, the better he thinks of them.
News of family and friends. Hensleigh Wedgwood’s scruples about swearing oaths.