Ɛpsilon

To J. D. Hooker   18 August [1875]1

Down, | Beckenham, Kent. | Railway Station | Orpington. S.E.R.

Aug. 18th

My dear Hooker

I am delighted at your news about D. Galton, for though I never saw him I feel a diabolical spite towards him.— But you seem to be as bad off as ever with L. Henry. Why on earth shd. he care where you build. It looks as if it were merely to spite you.2 I have no news about myself, as I am merely slaving over the sickening work of preparing new Editions.3 I wish I could get a touch of poor Lyell’s4 feelings, that it was delightful to improve a sentence, like a painter improving a picture—. We go on the 27th to Southampton for a fortnight & shall then see the last of Leonard.5 I am as dull as a duck & so good night

Yours affect | C. Darwin

1
The year is established by the relationship between this letter and the letter from J. D. Hooker, 16 August 1875.
2
Douglas Strutt Galton was retiring as director of public works and buildings in the Office of Works, but Henry Gordon-Lennox, first commissioner of works, continued to object to Hooker’s plans for the Kew Gardens Herbarium (letter from J. D. Hooker, 16 August 1875 and n. 3).
3
CD had been working on the second editions of both Variation and Climbing plants (CD’s ‘Journal’ (Appendix II)).
5
The Darwins stayed at the home of their son William Erasmus Darwin in Southampton from 28 August to 11 September 1875 (CD’s ‘Journal’ (Appendix II)). Leonard Darwin, an officer in the Royal Engineers, had been posted to Malta (ODNB).

Please cite as “DCP-LETT-10124,” in Ɛpsilon: The Charles Darwin Collection accessed on 5 June 2025, https://epsilon.ac.uk/view/dcp-data/letters/DCP-LETT-10124