To J. A. H. de Bosquet   13 October [1853]

My dear Sir

I thank you very sincerely for your very kind letter. Like yourself, I have been much delayed: I had expected to have begun printing long ere this, but now I do not suppose that I shall be in the press for three or four weeks; and a month or six weeks hence will do perfectly for me, if I can then receive your memoir,¹ which you are so kind as to offer me. I must however venture to express my regret that you do not give abbreviated or specific characters, as the Author can make them so much better than any one else, and they always strike me as so eminently useful in facilitating the recognition of species. I will, however, try to make such for my “Synopsis speciorum”;² but you cannot imagine how anxious I am to finish my work, and go to something new. My health is delicate and I can work only from 2–3 hours daily; and hence I have spent a ridiculously long time over the Cirripedia.³ To my mind making out any subject is deeply interesting, but the publishing the results intolerably tiresome. You are so kind as to offer to send me some valves of a Balanus found at Spauwers ?? and Bergh:⁴ I certainly should like to see them very much, as the species are very rare in the older Tertiaries Has this Balanus been named ?⁵ Pray believe me, my dear Sir, with very many thanks for all your kindness, and with much respect,

Your’s very faithfully | C. Darwin