From Edward Wilson   4 February 1868

My dear Mr Darwin

I promised your son a specimen of the Australian boiled beef, which is likely to form a very important addition some day to the food of the sadly underfed working classes of the northern country.¹ A tin is now sent. Please taste the beef & ⁠⟨⁠    ⁠⟩⁠ what you think of it. It ⁠⟨⁠is⁠⟩⁠ best cold, with potatoes, & some ⁠⟨⁠    ⁠⟩⁠ mustard, as being preserved ⁠⟨⁠& not⁠⟩⁠ fresh, it wants condiments to make it as palatable as it can be. The retailers sell it at 7^d cooked, & without bone, which makes it pretty cheap, but as the “industry” expands it will [remain] both better & cheap:—

I most heartily congratulate you on the achievement of your great “wrangler”.² What a pleasure it must have given you all to find his name so high on such a list! Let us hope that such a success is a prelude to a brilliant future, & that in his case at least one may find the greatly useful securely grafted upon the greatly distinguished. I was quoting Woolner’s rather startling theory as to the contemptibility of uselessness to your other son, & he seemed rather amused by it.³ But these high spirited young fellows cannot be too thoroughly impressed with the idea that they are sent into the world for a purpose, & that the world is big enough for each man to leave his foot-prints if he pleases

I am, Dear Sir | Yours very sincerely | Ed Wilson