From W. S. Dallas   6 August 1879

My dear M^r. Darwin

I am afraid you will have been thinking that I was very long in sending you the translation of D^r. Krause’s work, but although I laboured hard & did not leave London until the 1^st. August, I was defeated by fate.—¹ On my last day, when I thought I had a few hours work to do & got up early to begin upon it, I had hardly made a commencement when I came upon some quotations from Lord Monboddo! these are from your Journal of Researches, (which, I am ashamed to say, I don’t possess) one from the Edinburgh Review & one from Craik’s Manual of English Literature,—all as it were mines sprung unexpectedly upon me in the last few steps of my progress.— The Journal I got from the Linnean easily enough, but the others I could not get at on Friday, so I have made rough translations of the passages & will send copies of these to my son who will get the books & copy the quotations at the Brit. Mus. Reading Room—² With these sins of omission (& how many of commission of course I don’t know) I have made up my MS. in two sealed packets registered, which I have no doubt will reach you before this does.— I hope when you get them you will find the contents satisfactory.—

My daughter, for whose benefit chiefly we came here, is, I am glad to say, getting better, but my family will remain here till the time for work comes round upon me again.—³ I shall, however, take a short run through Belgium next week, starting the day after tomorrow, & returning here most likely on Monday week, after which I shall remain at the address above given until near the end of the month.—

I gave your books to M^r. Charlton at the Geological Society to be packed up & left him your address in the event of your wishing to have them sent to Ambleside, but as he will be going for his holiday at the end of next week, it will perhaps be your safest plan, if you require the books, to write to my son, James Dallas, at the Geological Society, & desire him to have the parcel forwarded.—⁴

I don’t think I have anything more to say, except to wish you all the benefit to your health that you can desire from your visit to the north-country.—

Believe me | Yours very truly | W. S. Dallas.

It has just struck me that I have not now explained the cause of my being so long in finishing the translation after all,— the delay was caused by the visit of an old friend, who, being a business man, chose to pay us a visit here for the bank holiday, & effectually prevented my working until he left us yesterday.—⁵