This letter was the last but two he ever addressed to his mother,
and I have not transcribed the whole. It is long and discursive,
considering how much he had on his hands at that time, and how
completely he was occupied with the pending expedition. In his next
he refers to some apprehensions expressed by maternal solicitude
that his religious convictions might be altered by a friend who
entertained extremely different views. "I intended, my dear
mother," he says, "to have replied at length to one of the remarks
in your last, but I fear I must be very brief. Your idea that I am
influenced by--'s notions of religion is amusingly erroneous. I
never imagined that I could have written anything to warrant such
an impression; but it shows how careful we should be to make clear
statements so as to avoid being misunderstood. Mr.--'s religion is
to my mind supremely ridiculous; I can only find two points in its
favour, namely, its charity and moral principles. But these,
although admirable in themselves, do not go far towards proving the
truth of the theological notions entertained by its adherents. I
can assure you that such ideas of religion are quite as far removed
from mine as yours can be." His final letter announces the
certainty of his being about to start on the enterprise so long
projected. He had hitherto withheld the fact, from a wish not to
distress his mother unnecessarily while there was a chance that any
unforeseen obstacle might create further delay.

Flagstaff Observatory, Melbourne, July 25th, 1860.

MY DEAR MOTHER,

I am glad to be able to inform you of a matter that you perhaps
will not much like, although I do not know why you should object to