(I was prevented last time by illness) I must call on you, and report, for
my own satisfaction, a really (I think) curious point I have made out in my
beloved barnacles. You cannot tell how much I enjoyed my talk with you
here.

Ever, my dear Owen,
Yours sincerely,
C. DARWIN.

P.S.--If I do not hear, I shall understand that my letter is superfluous.
Smith and Beck were so pleased with the simple microscope they made for me,
that they have made another as a model. If you are consulted by any young
naturalists, do recommend them to look at this. I really feel quite a
personal gratitude to this form of microscope, and quite a hatred to my old
one.


LETTER 26. TO J.S. HENSLOW.
Down [April 1st, 1848.]

Thank you for your note and giving me a chance of seeing you in town; but
it was out of my power to take advantage of it, for I had previously
arranged to go up to London on Monday. I should have much enjoyed seeing
you. Thanks also for your address (26/1. An introductory lecture
delivered in March 1848 at the first meeting of a Society "for giving
instructions to the working classes in Ipswich in various branches of
science, and more especially in natural history" ("Memoir of the Rev. J.S.
Henslow," by Leonard Jenyns, page 150.), which I like very much. The
anecdote about Whewell and the tides I had utterly forgotten; I believe it
is near enough to the truth. I rather demur to one sentence of yours--