Search results
Show moreTranscription:"My dear Innes I am heartily glad to say that Quiz arrived last night safe & sound (but with a cough) & has been running about the house quite happy & very polite to every human being, including Cats. Hearty thanks for your present. Also for your two notes. We most sincerely wish wish you all the happiness which can be expected in this world. Very glad we should be to see you here; but I think you will find yourself so well suited to your new career, that you will remain. We are a sick house with 3 Boys in bed with very bad feverish colds, so no more at present, except kind remembrances to Mrs. Innes & Johny, the young Laird. Ever my dear Innes, Yours very sincerely, Charles Darwin" Letter, signed by sender. Sent from Down House, near Beckenham, Kent, England.
The Robert M. Stecher Collection of Charles Darwin Books and Manuscripts
Show less
Show moreTranscription:"Dear Innes, Many thanks for your friendly note. You seem all very prosperous, & we are very glad to hear of it. I have heard of the mule from the canary & other finches occasionally breeding; but it is very rare (except with the siskin where the case is not so rare) & there is hardly one quite well authenticated case of two such mules breeding together. I will not forget your offer if I should wish for any observations or enquiries made in the north. Life rolls on, as you know, very uniformly in Down, & we have no news. Yes, we have, the Butcher has jilted his old love, & is going to be married to a new one! We went a few days ago to lunch with the John Lubbocks & they evidently seem thoroughily to enjoy their new home & freedom. They gave us a good account of poor Montague. We have had the Influenza here very badly— 16 were sick in this house, & at one time six in bed. Etty keeps capital;f6 but now we have Horace failing badly with intermittent weak pulse, like four of our other children previously. It is a curious form of inheritance from my poor constitution, though I never failed in exactly that way. I am glad to hear that Mrs. Innes (to whom pray give our kind remembrances) has been out to dinner; she beats me, for I have not ventured on such a bold step for an age. Believe me Dear Innes, Yours very sincerely, C. Darwin" Postmark: Postmark: FE 24 62 Letter, signed by sender. Sent from Down House, near Beckenham, Kent, England. Envelope included.
The Robert M. Stecher Collection of Charles Darwin Books and Manuscripts
Show less
Show moreTranscription:"Dear Innes I have bad news about Quiz: perhaps you had better not tell your son for a time. He has been killed; it was done instantaneously by a gun. We were forced to do this, for he would fly at poor people, & one day bit a child & two days after a beggar woman & we had an awful row about it. There was another reason we could not stop him having fearful battle with Tartar; I had such a job one day in separating them both streaming with blood; & this was incessantly happening. Poor little Quiz had, also, got so asthmatic that he could not run, so that altogether we had no choice left us, though we were very sorry about it. I hope the world goes well with you all; it has not of late with us, for we have had our youngest boy [Horace] strangely ill, with singular involuntary movements, for two months; but at last he is decidedly better. We feared much that there was mischief in the Brain, but it now seems clear that it was all sympathetic with irritation of stomach. I know of no news of any sort here; we all go on exactly as usual as quiet as mice. Dear Innes, Yours very sincerely, Charles Darwin" Letter, signed by sender. Sent from Down House, near Beckenham, Kent, England.
The Robert M. Stecher Collection of Charles Darwin Books and Manuscripts
Show less
Show moreTranscription:"Dear Innes, I am much obliged for your letter. I do not think the case worth investigating simply because it is so wonderful & opposed to analogy that no naturalist wd believe it unless the animal was most carefully examined by some well-known, cautious, & experienced zoologist. Even then many wd. disbelieve as the act of union was not observed. A supposed hybrid was exhibited in London between a Deer & Pony; but when examined by Owen turned out to be a monstrosity of a Pony, aided by some manipulation on the hoofs. All such cases have failed when examined into. As I am writing I had perhaps add that rumours are very common in our village about Mr Robinson walking with girls at night. I did not mention them before, because I had not even moderately good authority; but my wife found Mrs Allen very indignant about Mr R.s conduct with one of her maids. I do not believe that there is any evidence of actual immorality. As I repeat only second hand my name must not be mentioned. Our maids tell my wife that they do not believe that hardly anyone will go to Church now that Mr R. has returned. What a plague this Parish does give you. Dear Innes, Very sincerely yours, C. Darwin" Postmark: Postmark: DE 11 68 Letter, signed by sender. Sent from Down House, near Beckenham, Kent, England. Envelope included.
The Robert M. Stecher Collection of Charles Darwin Books and Manuscripts
Show less
Show moreDarwin writes to Innes to tell him about Down news and some parish news. Darwin adds that there has been recent discussion of his work in newspapers, which either abuse, praise or chaff Darwin. Oct 18, 1869 Beckenham My Dear Innes, I was writing to hear some news of you, + had thought of writing, but I got [to] [nearly] finish letters from parish people, that I [didn't] have the heart to write to my friends. There is hardly any news to tell you of you old [Parish]. My Parish has taken my [Eaglehearts'] [Home] + that I am very glad of, as he [would] [like] for all to look after the Patish + school, + I daresay he would be [active] + kind; but I rather doubt whether he is [] to [everyone] in [seven?]. We infact are very [] [] that he is going to be married; for he has given [] to any [] that a Lady with love teach with Sunday School. [Hopefully?] it is he who Love []. I hear of the chance of a personage being [brought] [in] [the?] Paris without the [] information, but I [] whether he will [concur?] I find so few which he seemed to think [], but I think that [] to []; [] that the Parish Letter. Sent from Down House, near Beckenham, Kent, England.
The Robert M. Stecher Collection of Charles Darwin Books and Manuscripts
Show less
Show moreTranscription:"My dear Innes I was truly obliged for your kind & extremely pleasant letter. I was at first awfully annoyed: I really think being examined in court wd half-kill me.— I have had no communication with Mr Horsman; but my solicitor from what I cd. told him, thought the man wd. never be such a fool, as to bring the case into court. He advises me to take no trouble till he hears from Mr. Horsman's solicitors that he is earnest. I have already heard of 3 unpaid debts in this village. If things go on I will apply to Lubbock for chance of his having preserved the letters to which you refer. If I have to defend myself, I will push things to extreme. I heard that he bolted from Hotel at Torquay, after leaving Down, without paying his bill. I suspect that Mr Robinson is the informant, as he is now in this neighbourhood—curate at Brasted, & is a friend of Horsman's. If he is informant, it is too bad, for I remember explaining to Mr R, why people wd not pay subscriptions for School & to him, only to me, & why persons did not call on him, as his predecessor had been a mere swindler. Poor little Mr R. will look like a fool, if asked in court why he left Down. I believe & hope that you will prove right, & that the case will never come to trial. Certainly we have been unfortunate in Mr H. & Mr R. Mr Powell is, I think, a thoroughly good man & gentleman. Does good work of all kinds in the Parish, but preaches, I hear, very dull sermons. I shd. be a wonderful brute, if I had one single unpleasant recollection of an association with your name. We often differed, but you are one of those rare mortals, from whom one can differ & yet feel no shade of animosity, & that is a thing which I shd feel very proud of, if anyone cd. say of me. Farewell with very kind remembrances to Mrs Innes & your son, Yours very sincerely, Charles Darwin" Letter, signed by sender. Sent from Down House, near Beckenham, Kent, England.
The Robert M. Stecher Collection of Charles Darwin Books and Manuscripts
Show less
Show moreDarwin writes to Innes about parish matters, and to say that his health has been poor. Darwin continues to say that Innes last letter was appreciated, as well as his expression of friendship towards Darwin. Transcription: "Jan 26, 1870 Beckenham My Dear Innes, I have had two [thus] bad days + am [shaken] + most by my briefs; [he] I can't delay thanking you heartily for all your truth. I will keep all your [letters?] for a few weeks + then return them. I have not heard from my [indicator], as he cannot have heard from me? [Horman] A L.C. with whom my confidence is [waning], tell him he is [convinced?] that He could have no case, as it makes all the difference, what is said and my [] in the same Parish in which [] [serves?], + I cannot [remember?] that I even [] to [many] names not of this Parish. I read your letter aloud to my [], + they all laughed heartily, but it also [] often + higher feelings, [by] all of us with respect to you. By the way [] exclaimed (+ I can assure you, he is the deepest critic I know in the world) "how unjust he is about his own [], why thy ideas he only [] I have heard in my life, to the whole of which I always listened." I believe her words "I could not help listening to." you are a [] [] man to tell your clerical friends that you [are] a friend to me. I read to the day an item of a Scotch [] who said "[] but [] pray for the poor [], -for he has no friends"- or can reach words The application is evident. Ever yours most sincerely C. Darwin" Letter, signed by sender. Sent from Down House, near Beckenham, Kent, England.
The Robert M. Stecher Collection of Charles Darwin Books and Manuscripts
Show less
Show moreDarwin writes to Innes concerning the color of rabbits. He also talks about schools and mutual friends. Darwin also mentions that he is correcting a proof of 'Insectivorous plants'. Transcription: "May 10 1875 Down, Beckenham, Kent. Railway Station Orpington.S.E.R. Dear Innes Your case of the rabbit is a curious one; but there is something very off about the colours of young rabbits. There are [], which are invariably white [] [] + them became almost black; + [other] breeds which are at first black + then became almost white. Most of them were [] [] breeds, + I shd suspect that the parents of Mrs Innes-Brodie rather were of [] origin. Your account of your schools has interested Mr [] + all the more [] [] [], who as L advocates [] your school-boards, was [] her, + was talking much about the Scotch schools. He was remarking how odd it was that the voters who taxed themselves now spent vert much more in the schools than was [] done. He did not know anything about the relative advantages of Scotch + English primary schools.- I have no news whatever to tell you about the neighbourhood, as I see, if this be possible, even fewer people than [].- Mr Duck, you will have heard, is dead, + we have had to appoint a new [Finister] to the Friendly Club in his place, + the committee elected Mr Pearson.- By the way here is a wonderful piece of news, Mr Ffinden has forgiven Mr Pearson, + they are reconciled.- I have not been very well of late + have been working too hard in connecting the prep of another of my evolutionary books [] on Insectivorous Plants which contain hardly anything about evolution. We never cease to wish you had not left us. yours very sincerely Ch. Darwin My wife desires me [] that the plants of your [] are doing well, but not [] [] as Innes." Letter, signed by sender. Sent from Down House, near Beckenham, Kent, England. Envelope included.
The Robert M. Stecher Collection of Charles Darwin Books and Manuscripts
Show less
Show moreDarwin encloses a statement and circular he has been asked to send to Lubbock. Transcription: " Ap. 8. Down, Beckenham, Kent Dear Lubbock lady Lubbock has been so good as to return to us the enclosed + has given me your address. I have been asked to send it to you. As you perhaps will not have a large envelope with you, I enclose one addressed, + I shd be obliged if you will post the statemend of my circular. yours sincerely Ch. Darwin" Letter sent from Down, Beckenham, Kent, England.
The Robert M. Stecher Collection of Charles Darwin Books and Manuscripts
Show less
Show moreDarwin thanks for volume on craniology and for suggestion to Austrian Government that Darwin receive volumes on Novara voyage. Transcription: "Dec 24. 1876 Dear Sir, I write a line to thank you very sincerely for your [] kind letters, + to acknowledge the safe arrival of your present of the volume on Craniology, which I will read as soon as I have finished some other books in hand It is extremely good of you to suggest my name to the Austrian government for a copy of the magnificent series of volumes containing the full account of the voyage [] 'Novara', but in [] I do not feel that I am worthy of so fine a present. I hope that Mr. Scherzer + yourself will benefit by your stay at Sadbrook. Pray give my kind remembrances to Dr. [Lave] and all his family. Once again accept my best thanks + believe me, dear Sir yours very faithfully Charles Darwin" Letter sent from Down, Bromley, Kent, England.
The Robert M. Stecher Collection of Charles Darwin Books and Manuscripts
Show less
Show moreTranscription: "Respected Sir! I beg leave to return you my sincere thanks for your great kindness in sending me your last work “Aus Natur und Wissenschaft.” I have read the chapter, in which you treat of my work, & you have indeed conferred the most distinguished honour on me. I venture to thank you, also, on account of the good which you will effect in getting the subject widely discussed, & the truth finally discovered, which I have much at heart. I am, like so many Englishmen a very poor proficient at Languages, & German is to me, excepting the simplest descriptions, extremely difficult; but I hope to make intelligible to myself some of your valuable volume. With my best thanks, I have the honour to remain, Respected Sir, Your obliged servant, Charles Darwin" Letter sent from Down, Beckenham, Kent, England
The Robert M. Stecher Collection of Charles Darwin Books and Manuscripts
Show less
Show moreDarwin writes to say he would be happy to send his autograph. Transcription: "Jan 30" 1875 Down, Beckenham, Kent. Railway Station Orpington.S.E.R. Dear Mrs Cookson George tells me that you would like to have my autograph; _ I am proud to send my signature for this purpose. I wish it was rather more ornamental. Pray believe me, yours very sincerely Charles Darwin" Letter sent from Down, Beckenham, Kent, England
The Robert M. Stecher Collection of Charles Darwin Books and Manuscripts
Show less
Show moreDarwin thanks to Dr. Reuben Vance for valuable letter [11232]. Darwin says he is "too ignorant of anatomy to form a decided opinion", but is inclined to attribute the spiral folds to reversion and the valves to partial abortion of the fold. Darwin asks Dr. Vance to verify his claim by examining lower intestine of an opossum for the structure. If Dr. Vance can prove the nature of these remnants, then it would be a conclusion of much interest. Transcription: "Dec 4 1877 Beckenham Dear Sir, I am obliged for your long and valuable letter. I am too ignorant of anatomy to form any decided opinion of the subject; but if I had met with your statements I should have been inclined to attribute the spiral folds to reversion and the valves to the partial [absolution] of the fold. I should have formed their opinion from the analogous structure in fishes of the non-generalized kind, and to the great variability of the parts in question, Could you not procure an opossum and examine the lower intestine; for if it presents no trace of the structure in question I should hesitate if I were in your place to allude to reversion. If marsupials do exhibit any [veolige] I would examine one [filter] lower placeutal mammals a rabbit for instance and afterwards a monkey. If you could [satir] factorily prove the nature of these remnants it would be a conclusion of much interest. As I have already referred to my ignorance of anatomy you will of course not refer to the remarks which I have hazarded. Dear Sir Yours faithfully Ch. Darwin" Letter, signed by sender. Sent from Down House, near Beckenham, Kent, England. Envelope included.
The Robert M. Stecher Collection of Charles Darwin Books and Manuscripts
Show less
Show moreDarwin thanks for gift of [Panthea,] the spirit of nature [1849]. Transcript: " Jan 9 1880 Dear Sir I am much obliged to you for your courteous note + for the gift of your 'Spirit of Nature'. I will read your work as soon as I have finished a book in hand, + I remain Dear Sir yours faithfully Charles Darwin" Letter sent from Down, Beckenham, Kent, England
The Robert M. Stecher Collection of Charles Darwin Books and Manuscripts
Show less
Show moreDarwin cannot believe in possibility that the duck is a hybrid, but correlation accords with some other facts. He requests specimens of berries and more information about the Madresfield Court vine. Transcription: "Charles Darwin [Bapeth] Southampton on the hybrid duck- -------------------- Professor Owen and Doctor Gimther (of the British [] are [assured] Sep 1 after careful examination are sure that it is a hybrid- Dear Sir I am much obliged for your kind letter. I cannot believe in the possibility of thte hybrid in question. I have examined one such bird, + cleaned its skeleton + it was a pure duck Mr Bartlett of the [].Soc. has examined the bones of several such birds with the same result. The correlation however in all these cases between deficient swimming membrane + a deformed narrow beak, is extremely curious, + accords with some other facts. The case of the vine interests me more; but I do not understand whether the whole of the Madresfield Court vine now bears rounded berries, or whether a shoot has been produced from the point of [inarchmont]. I do not return home until the 11th + the state of my health prevents my coming to see this vine, which youa re so kind as to offer to show me. If you are inclined to take the trouble to send me half ([] with their names) a doxen berries of the peere Hamburgh, the peere Madresfield Ct, + of the modified Madresfield, together with information, or a little sketch of the marched specimen the information might be of very great use to me. I have lately been writing on an allied subject, + my article is not yet printed off - The speciments, if you kindly agree to send them may be addressed here, or after my return home, to Down Beckenham - If by Railway, to Orpington Station S.E.R. Dear Sir yours faithfully Charles Darwin Dr. Samuel Newington" Letter sent from Basett, Southampton.
The Robert M. Stecher Collection of Charles Darwin Books and Manuscripts
Show less
Show moreTranscription: "My dear Sir I shd. be very much obliged to you, if you would take the trouble to inform me, (if you know, or can find out without much trouble) a reference to Kölliker's Paper on the male Argonautf1 which you showed me in Brit. Museum. I read it somewhere, & I believe in Annales des Sciences, & made an extract, but I have unfortunately lost it.— I cannot remember hardly anything about them: are they permanently fixed on the female? Will you just tell me this, for it will be a chance whether I can borrow any Book with an account, & I want to refer to this creature soon. Also how does the Male get to the female & how does it obtain its food? I hope you will excuse this trouble, which I cause by having in the most provoking way lost an extract which I well remember making— Kindest Remembrances to Waterhouse. My dear Sir, Yours sincerely, C. Darwin" Letter, signed by sender. Sent from Down House, near Beckenham, Kent, England.
The Robert M. Stecher Collection of Charles Darwin Books and Manuscripts
Show less
Show moreDarwin writes that a certificate for admission [of Robert Swinhoe] to Royal Society with many signatures has been lost by the Post Office. Asks for another so he can get the signatures anew. Transcription: "March 2nd Down, Beckenham, Kent. My dear Sir A form of certificate for admission to Royal Sor. to which I had got a lot of signatures has been lost by the Post-office, + I must get to work again to get all the signatures anew! Will you though be so good as to send me by return of Post a new certificate, + kindly inform me the latest date at which they can be suspended this year. yours sincerely Ch. Darwin" Letter sent from Down, Beckenham, Kent, England.
The Robert M. Stecher Collection of Charles Darwin Books and Manuscripts
Show less
Show moreDarwin thanks Society for honour of his election as Honorary Member. Facsimile Transcription: "May 28, 70 Sir, I beg leave to thank you for your very courteous letter of May 20th in which you announced to me that the Imperial Society of Naturalists of Moscow has conferred on me the distinguished honour of electing me an Honorary Member. This morning I received your Diploma I hope that you will express on my part to the Society how deeply I feel gratified by this honour. In accordance with your Suggestion I have directed my published to forward to your Society the last edition of my Origin of Specied and my Journal of researches during the voyage of the Beagle With my Sincere thanks I have the honour to remain, Sir, your most obedient Servant Charles Darwin"
The Robert M. Stecher Collection of Charles Darwin Books and Manuscripts
Show less
Show moreDarwin writes in appreciation for the addressee's "magnificent work in quarto on Mining Industry, together with an atlas in folio..." and the kindness shown to his cousins while visiting California. Transcription: "Feb. 20/02/1872 Down, Beckenham, Kent. My dear Sir I have no doubt that I owe to you such kindness The present received [] days ago of your [] work in [] on Mining Industry, together with an atlas in folio. I can affirm you that I am fully [] of this mark of [] feeling towards []. My [] have told me much of all that they saw in California + how greatly they were indebted to you for all sorts of assistance + kindness. They desire me to send you their vy kind remembrances. Pray believe me, My dear Sir yours sincerely + obliged Charles Darwin" Letter sent from Down, Beckenham, Kent, England
The Robert M. Stecher Collection of Charles Darwin Books and Manuscripts
Show less
Show moreDarwin asks about the composition of a spermaceti ointment which he has been buying for some years “because I blackened some young shoots of plants with this ointment mixed with Lamp-black & it produced an extraordinary effect on the shoots, which I think cannot be accounted for merely by the exclusion of light”. Transcription: "Jan 6" Down, Beckenham, Kent. Railway Station Orpington.S.E.R. Dear Sir you have supplied me for some years with "vy soft [] ointment." Will you kindly inform me exactly of what it is composed; [] what kind of oil + whether any []. I want to know because I blackened some young shoots of plants with this ointment mixed with []. black + it produced an [] effect on the shoots, which I think cannot be accounted for merely by the exclusion of Light. Forgive me for troubling you + I remain Dear Sir yours faithfully Ch. Darwin"
The Robert M. Stecher Collection of Charles Darwin Books and Manuscripts
Show less