P。S。IshouldfeelextremelyobligedforyourkindofferofthesketchofHumboldt;Iveneratehim，andafterhavinghadthepleasureofconversingwithhiminLondon，Ishallstillmoreliketohaveanyportraitofhim。
[WhatfollowsisquotedfromSirJ。Hooker’snotes。\"Thenextactinthedramaofourlivesopenswithpersonalintercourse。Thisbeganwithaninvitationtobreakfastwithhimathisbrother’s（ErasmusDarwin’s）houseinParkStreet;whichwasshortlyafterwardsfollowedbyaninvitationtoDowntomeetafewbrotherNaturalists。Intheshortintervalsofgoodhealththatfollowedthelongillnesseswhichoftentimesrenderedlifeaburthentohim，between1844and1847，Ihadmanysuchinvitations，anddelightfultheywere。Amorehospitableandmoreattractivehomeundereverypointofviewcouldnotbeimagined——ofSocietythereweremostoftenDr。Falconer，EdwardForbes，ProfessorBell，andMr。Waterhouse——therewerelongwalks，rompswiththechildrenonhandsandknees，musicthathauntsmestill。Darwin’sownheartymanner，hollowlaugh，andthoroughenjoymentofhomelifewithfriends;strollswithhimalltogether，andinterviewswithusonebyoneinhisstudy，todiscussquestionsinanybranchofbiologicalorphysicalknowledgethatwehadfollowed;andwhichIatanyratealwaysleftwiththefeelingthatIhadimpartednothingandcarriedawaymorethanIcouldstaggerunder。Latterly，ashishealthbecamemoreseriouslyaffected，Iwasfordaysandweekstheonlyvisitor，bringingmyworkwithmeandenjoyinghissocietyasopportunityoffered。Itwasanestablishedrulethatheeverydaypumpedme，ashecalledit，forhalfanhourorsoafterbreakfastinhisstudy，whenhefirstbroughtoutaheapofslipswithquestionsbotanical，geographical，etc。，formetoanswer，andconcludedbytellingmeoftheprogresshehadmadeinhisownwork，askingmyopiniononvariouspoints。Isawnomoreofhimtillaboutnoon，whenIheardhismellowringingvoicecallingmynameundermywindow——thiswastojoinhiminhisdailyforenoonwalkroundthesand—walk。OnjoininghimIfoundhiminaroughgreyshooting—coatinsummer，andthickcapeoverhisshouldersinwinter，andastoutstaffinhishand;awaywetrudgedthroughthegarden，wheretherewasalwayssomeexperimenttovisit，andontothesand—walk，roundwhichafixednumberofturnsweretaken，duringwhichourconversationusuallyranonforeignlandsandseas，oldfriends，oldbooks，andthingsfarofftobothmindandeye。
\"Intheafternoontherewasanothersuchwalk，afterwhichheagainretiredtilldinnerifwellenoughtojointhefamily;ifnot，hegenerallymanagedtoappearinthedrawing—room，whereseatedinhishighchair，withhisfeetinenormouscarpetshoes，supportedonahighstool——heenjoyedthemusicorconversationofhisfamily。\"
Herefollowsaseriesoflettersillustratingthegrowthofmyfather’sviews，andthenatureofhisworkduringthisperiod。]
CHARLESDARWINTOJ。D。HOOKER。