CD describes his happy home-coming. Finds his family and Shrewsbury unchanged.

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."

Declines invitation to dine at Downing College because of influenza.

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].

Sends RO a box of fossils from William Darwin Fox, from the Isle of Wight.

Questions on breeding and habits.

Declines Ray Club dinner; too busy with Zoology.

Thanks JSH for presenting his work to Cambridge Philosophical Society.

Asks him to get an answer from W. H. Miller on specimen of crystallised mineral.

FitzRoy is hard at work on his book [Narrative, vol. 2].

CD’s health is improved.

Describes his visit to zoo.

Gives news of E. A. Darwin and Harriet Martineau.

Thanks for ham and corrections in spelling. Gives account of his social activities in past week.

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 The Journal of researches will not be published until autumn [actually not until 1839].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.

Recounts dinner at Erasmus’ house with Harriet Martineau and others, and a visit to Cambridge to stay with Henslow and meet old friends again.

Would like to attend a lecture by JFR on "geography of plants with relation to the Himalayas".

"A grand battle" at the Geological Society between Sedgwick and G. B. Greenough.

His [first] railway journey was disappointing.

In his first letter after their engagement, CD reports on the happy reception of the news by his family. He hopes she will not find life with him solitary and dull after the lively social life of Maer.

Recounts his misadventures on the train journey back to London. Tells of a visit to the FitzRoys and a friendly letter from Lyell. Whether CD and Emma should live in central London or in the suburbs is a perplexing problem, much discussed by relatives and friends.

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.