From C. G. Gordon to W. E. Darwin 12 October 1879

My dear Darwin

Good, very good of you to write and refresh me in my nursing here with so long a letter (15 August) as you have written me, I have never forgotten you, and am with you, in spirit every day. I was very glad you had married, it is a great blessing, you have by you, a looking glass, which is faithful, which will tell you, your faults without wishing to hurt you, an unmarried man has no looking glass to tell him, he has to find it out. You must not tell my sister, but as in the present [illeg], I have not words to express my disgust at them, a more shuffling lying set never ever seen, you know I was a long time in [illeg], and therefore can form an opinion, Ignatieff is well known to me, even in China, all them doings have been to the detriment of our country, as for Egypt, they have behind both them the French of whom they have been the tool. To me, the policy of our Govt is as the policy of your [cook,] i. e., they have had no policy, but have drifted, they have drifted with an utter disregard to anything honourable or truthful. You do not know what tasks of wrath I bring on myself, in writing thus [(] my sister will read it and she is red hot "Jingo" don't tough on the subject with her & warn M^r Darwin)   I have had the happy chance of digging it into Lord Salisbury. I write to my sister, (the Jingo) and send the letter to Consul General Cairo, he sends it, to my sister, thro' F. O. my sister complains of the delay: by this means, I am able to write what I like, and I assure you I do not spare them. The F. O. waiting to know the news, are obliged to read 1^st my religious opinion 2^nd. my views of their policy & if ever they attack me, I can say "Cannot I write what I like to my own sister". I can assure you, that I write things which must under their [illeg] again, working at their [peace] with honour &c & such for instance," as the Abyssin do not see the wisdom of turning out a [illeg] with whom they have engagements & putting in our [illeg] whom they have [illeg] whereupopn I told told the Aby" that the ways of Govts were unsuitable and [illeg] finding out, except by their initiated in their mysteries."

About the Slavery questions, I will Dv talk to you, as you walk down the avenue, when I come home.

About the Abyssiniants, I deny they are Missionaries for if they have two coats they will not give you one, if you slap one side of their face, they will slap the other side of yours. I have a deal to say about this, in the Avenue if God wills, I ever get out of these mountains.

Do not praise me, you don't know me. You do quite as much and more in your work at the bank than I do.

Take this to hear. you are perfectly safe for all eternity whatever you may do. Be quite sure, that as you love your skin, your life, (I would say your children if I know you had any) age! & two times more, so God loves you. All creation would go to rack & ruin, if you were not safe, for it would be wanting in not having you. God grant my dear Darwin, you may you may feel this, but whether you feel it or not, it is true, it is true.

Why has God, as it were, warned me to think day after day, about you. No, take my word for it, and let your wife know it also, "as sure as God exists, so sure are will be with him hereafter"

Yours sincerely | C G Gordon