From Leonard Darwin to Horace Darwin [12 February 1873]

Dear Jim

I have been very wicked about writing but then you see—dam me—at Chatham there are no “deep green orange trees from which the gorgeous fruit strait out like splashes of blood” and no “sea that dazzles one by the insity of its blue” no the Medway is more that usually filthy, and the plane trees in the square are dying

But I did not think you drunk or mad—I simply thought that you were copying some high faluting guide book for my edification—at least until I observed that the whole letter was in one sentense connected together by an infinite series of “ands”

Well I suppose you want some news, there is not much of that article about   WG? Clarke is going to be married but as that is Franks news it will not only not interest you but you would not have heard it for months if I had not told you.

The weather here has been most objectionable freezing and snowing but not enough to skate. I think from what I can learn that I am pretty sure to go to the Venus expedition now—though I have not heard anything official yet. They seem to have discovered a mistake in their calculations, and now find that they ought to send an expedition to the South Polar region this time— I am glad they did not find it out before for now— I hope it is too late to go to the south pole for me. I suppose you mean to try Mentone for a bit sometime; people at least some people, seem to like it so much better than Cannes, however nothing could be nicer than your flowery account

I hope poor old G. will pick up again

Yours affect. | Leonard Darwin.