My dear Hooker

I had intended writing to tell you not to write, as I could not have the courage to leave home so soon as the next Hort. Meeting;² but I am glad I did not as I thus got your nice little note. I am really truly sorry to hear about your stomach. I entreat you to write down your own case,—symptoms—& habits of life, & then consider your case as that of stranger; & I put it to you, whether common sense w^d. not order you to take more regular exercise & work your Brain less.— (N.B. take a cold bath & walk before breakfast.) I am certain in the long run you would not lose time. Till you have a thoroughily bad stomach, you will not know the really great evil of it, morally physically & every way. Do reflect & act resolutely. Remember your troubled heart-action formerly plainly told how your constitution was tried.³ But I will say no more, excepting that a man is mad to risk health, on which everything—including his childrens inherited health, depends.—⁴ Do not hate me for this lecture.—

Really I am not surprised at you having some headache after Thursday evening, for it must have been no small exertion making an abstract of all that was said after dinner.⁵ Your being so engaged was a bore for there were several things that I sh^d. have liked to have talked over with you. It was certainly, a first-rate dinner & I enjoyed it extremely, far more than I expected. Very far from disagreeing with me, my London visits have just lately taken to suit my stomach admirably;—I begin to think, that dissipation, high-living, with lots of claret is what I want, & what I had during the last visit.— We are going to act on this same principle & in a very profligate manner have just taken a pair of Season-tickets to see the Queen open the Crystal Palace.⁶ How I wish there was any chance of your being there. The last grand thing we were at together answered, I am sure, very well, & that was the Duke’s Funeral.⁷

Have you seen Forbes’ introduct. lecture in the Scotsman⁸ (lent me by Horner) it is really admirably done, though without anything, perhaps, very original, which could hardly be expected: it has given me even a higher opinion than I before had, of the variety & polish of his intellect. It is, indeed, an irreparable loss to London Nat. History Society. I wish, however, he would not praise so much that old brown, dry stick Jameson.⁹ Altogether to my taste it is much the best introductory lecture I have ever read.— I hear his Anniversary Address is very good.—¹⁰ Next year we really must go to Chiswick together.—¹¹ But this reminds me of what you said about changing your house;—an evil & trouble for which I condole with you. I cannot think what you will do, if you get any Lectureship at Kew. When you have any definite news, please let me hear.—¹² You seem to be much on the move for the next few weeks.— I heartily wish for the Hitcham affair to be over.¹³ Adios, my dear Hooker; do be wise & good & be careful of your stomach, within which, as I know full well, lie intellect, conscience, temper & the affections.—

Farewell | C. Darwin