From Adam Sedgwick   1 February 1850

1 February 1850

My dear Henslow,

[In JSH’s handwriting: ‘Sedgwick with left hand!’]

Romilly wrote a letter for me yesterday addressed to M. rs Henslow: but I cannot be content without telling you that I did not misinterpret your former letters. I thought them most kind & good & was truly thankful for them. But I did not write again because I have literally been pulled down to the earth by my correspondents, & have had no time for writing to you as I would have wished. Several times I have been thrown back, & put into a [a] state of fever & I deprived of an entire night’s rest by fatiguing myself with writing; & over & over again my Surgeon has ordered me not to write on any account whatsoever. About the end of the last week I almost recovered my power of sleeping; & I felt quite joyous & happy. On Monday I over-exerted myself and wrote more than I ought to have done. On Monday night I was in perfect wretchedness from irritation & felt as if someone was playing St Vitus’ jig all night behind my pillow. I never closed my eyes in slumber. Saturday night I was not much better for I only slept thro’ powerful opiates & had a succession of disgusting & frightful dreams. On Wednesday I came round again & thank God I am now very well again. This will explain why I have not written to you. I am still involved in complicated bandages which cannot be removed for ten days or a fortnight more But my fractured arm & bruises are going on very well. I wish with all my heart I could come to you but it is quite impossible My left arm does good service but in dressing & undressing I am as helpless as an infant. I was truly sorry to hear the Julian news: but I trust all will end well & that Hooker has long since had his liberty & is now remembering his confinement as an agreeable episode in his Oriental history. I must not write anymore. My best love to all your family party

Ever affectionately yours |A Sedgwick

P.S. I will direct this to M. rs Henslow as you may be away –

Please cite as “HENSLOW-345,” in Ɛpsilon: The Correspondence of John Stevens Henslow accessed on 29 March 2024, https://epsilon.ac.uk/view/henslow/letters/letters_345