From J. F. McLennan   6 March 1871

My dear Sir,

I feel highly honoured by you sending to me a copy of your work on the Descent of Man, & I heartily congratulate you on the completion of y^r. labour of love.¹

The book has only today reached me from Edin^r. & I am looking forward to a treat in the study of it.²

Sometime perhaps the fates will allow myself to recur to those enquiries in which I am sure I shall find y^r. work of the highest use; but of late they have been dead against me so that I have got little beyond the point where I was when I had the pleasure of seeing you.³

I am going to dine with Vernon Lushington tomorrow—, whose note to me is jubilant over your book.

I sincerely trust you are very well and beg you to believe me with great admiration & respect | Y^rs. very truly | J F M’Lennan

Charles Darwin Esq^re. | &c &c