From Erasmus Alvey Darwin   [14 November 1838]

My Dear Charles.

I give you my most hearty & sincere congratulations on your good fortune, & feel very glad in what I am sure will give you so much & such certain happiness.

Not less than to you, do I give my congrats to Emma though in writing to you I ought I suppose to word it somehow differently. It is a marriage which will give almost as much pleasure to the rest of the world as it does to yourselves—the best auspices I should think for any marriage.

I received your letter just as I was going out to drive Martineau about, & lost no time in publishing the fact, & we also took the opportunity to look out for houses. There I do pity you, sneer as you like at poor old Marlborough S^t.

I shall be very glad to see you on Monday & hear it all face to face till when good Bye. Give my best Love to my Father & to Catherine who I hope is well again from her lameness. | Yours affect. | E D.