To B. J. Sulivan   3 January 1880

My dear Sulivan.

I return you your Xmas good wishes with all my heart, and may you live for many years to do good to others and to make all around you happy. Your extracts about the Fuegians are extremely curious & have interested me much.¹ I have often said that the progress of Japan was the greatest wonder in the world but I declare that the progress of Fuegia is almost equally wonderful—²

I am very sorry to hear about poor Mellersh; his case seems hopeless. He told me some time ago how much he suffered from Sciatica and said he could not wish his worst enemy to suffer nearly so much.—³ I have nothing to tell you about myself as my days are uniformly spent in working on the Physiology of Plants. I am pleased to hear that you like my little life of D^r. Eras⁴

With all good wishes, believe me | My dear Sulivan. | Yours very sincerely. | Charles Darwin.