Dear Darwin,

Many thanks for your letter. If I get any more information on the supposed hybrid you shall have it.¹ She looks an uncommon queer beast to me. There is no suspicion of any tampering. The brother of the woman whose cow was her mother brought him down here as a curiosity; and sold her for £10. about her value if a common little brute for meat—

Your other communication is serious. I had a hint of the kind, too vague to act on in any way, a few days ago. It was my intention, on the sole ground of absenting himself, to give M^r. Robinson notice to go. I could not legally do this but should have to ask the Archbishop to withdraw his license, but I should not be justified in doing this while other accusations are made which, if utterly groundless, he should be able to refute.²

I am exceedingly obliged to you for letting me know there are such afloat; and only to this extent do I consider your letter goes, and it is entirely confidential. But on the one hand it is utterly unjust to the Church to turn loose a disreputable man; on the other it would be equally unjust in me to refuse to sign Robinson’s testimonials, and prevent his obtaining another Curacy, or Preferment, on a mere rumour, which, for all I know, may be a mistake of identity made by some drunken blackguard. So I issue a challenge to the whole Parish; which I send to you addressing the cover to M^r Allen,³ but you may take it out, and give it to any one else.

I can only say that though I do not know M^r. Robinson I would try to protect him from malicious accusations but if he is immoral I will do all in my power to get him out forthwith—

I am quite sure you will support me in these notions.

How heartily I now wish I had resigned Downe many years ago I need not say.⁴ I do not wish I had never seen it for then I should have missed making many kind friends and I hope I have some satisfaction in looking back on intercourse with some good Christians who have gone to their rest—

With our kindest regards to M^rs Darwin | Believe me With many thanks | Yours faithfully | J Brodie Innes