Writes about London plays; wishes CD had been of the party.

Erasmus Alvey Darwin has rheumatism; his sisters complain of his bad temper but CD thinks him very good tempered. CD has received a new cabinet. [This is the first of six entries written in a "Memorandum book" comprising four sheets folded into a gather and sewn together in book form. The entries are in the style of letters addressed to an unnamed friend and are dated between 1 and 12 January 1822, shortly before CD’s thirteenth birthday. As they were written straight into the memorandum book, it is clear that they were never sent through the post, but were either to an imaginary recipient, or intended to be read by someone in the household, possibly CD’s youngest sister, Emily Catherine Darwin (Catherine).]

Erasmus Alvey Darwin is good tempered and their sisters have "not abused at all". Hopes the recipient will help "in looking out and washing the fossils out of the plate closet".

"Monseur Beodoes" is inquisitive and impertinent; Mr Bayly "was formerly a devlish boor". Asks who his sisters have been talking about.

Likes Mariane who is very good to Miss Jones; CD bought cakes in town while Mariane visited Miss Jones; he was embarrassed to be shown into her bedroom when he returned. Miss Clare has had an accident.

Caroline disapproves of his not washing.

Was joined by Colonel Burgh Leighton when walking in the quarry. Plans to make caves next summer to store "warlike instruments" and "relicks". Sketches a design for a signalling device. May go with his father to visit the Earl of Powys at Walcot; visited Mrs and Miss Reynolds and William Pemberton Cludde.

Has found a shop with supplies of chemical equipment, and a mineral collector.

EAD wants changes made and shelves built to improve the laboratory at the Mount [Darwin residence]; sends drawings and will bring chemical instruments, a book, and his record of experiments done in his chemistry course.

He has now been matriculated.

Suggestions for laboratory equipment. Will buy some mineral specimens. Describes experiments he has seen.

More suggestions for the laboratory, including some experiments.

Discusses plans for CD to visit Cambridge.

Writes, while visiting the Wedgwoods at Maer and Parkfields, to thank CD for his "entertaining letter".

She misses him and the laboratory.

Asks "how Mineralogy, Botany, Chemistry and Entomology go on".

Warns CD against idleness.

Suggests readings in Xenophon and Horace.

Quotes Oliver Goldsmith to correct CD’s pronunciation of "sloth".

Saw a mineral salesman, but he had nothing CD does not already have.

EAD has a piece of petrified sponge and some curious coal that John Price pulled out of his fire.

Griffith’s Animal kingdom [Griffith, Edward, et al. 1827–35. The animal kingdom arranged in conformity with its organization, by the Baron Cuvier, … with additional descriptions of all the species hitherto named, and of many not before noticed. 16 vols. London] just being published. He is sure CD would like it.

Proposes a dry place for the apparatus for their laboratory and draws a plan for CD’s criticism.

Price has found black sediment in his tea, which was attracted to a magnet.

Asks CD to do an experiment for him.

Has found a curious stone in his fire.

Price’s iron in tea measured 13 per cent.

Tells CD a bill is all right. Hopes his father will pay it and a wine merchant’s bill as well.

EAD thinks it a pity if CD does not go to Cambridge, but it will be very pleasant for them to be together at Edinburgh, where they should go as soon as possible and read. EAD is getting "case-hardened" in anatomy.

Asks CD to send him some books on physiology and natural history from the family library.