From J. J. Aubertin   4 March 1871

Dear M^r. Darwin

Thanks for your letter. I shall certainly come down some day to the Orpington Station & find my way to your house—¹

But I am very sorry to hear that you are so much out of health: & the more so from the selfish motive that I shall not be able to renew those old conversations I used to have with you, except under short restrictions. For myself I am of course very different from what I was at Ilkley—² D^r Smith did me much good, & the Brazilian climate was the best change for me that could be afterwards—³ But I am still forcibly reminded in many ways that there was much bungling at my creation.

What a sad account you give me of poor Miss Butler!⁴ I had, of course, no notion she was even dead: & certainly not, how! Death appears able to show as much “infinite variety” as any other phenomenon! But while all his various features are left behind & seen, he himself is just as much a mystery as ever! Will he be worth knowing after all?—

So shattered France at last makes Peace! And they, who by their own acts brought her to her present necessity of accepting the terms proposed, of course turn round upon the others for having submitted to them!⁵

Is not this—the old tail?!

With kind regards to M^rs. Darwin | Faithfully yours | J. J. Aubertin.