Ɛpsilon

From W. E. Darwin   16 October 1875

Bank, Southampton,

Oct 16 1875

Dear Father,

I have sent off the Orchis Bk. to Gentry.1 I send some of the penholders we find so nice.2 You should have Morley’s article on Diderot & the Encyclopædia in Septr. Fortnightly read aloud it is very interesting.3

When you get some more copies of the new edition of the “Descent” will you put one on one side for me.4

Your affect son | W. E. Darwin

1
William sent a copy of Orchids to Thomas George Gentry, who had sent CD a copy of his article ‘The fertilization of certain flowers through insect agency’ (Gentry 1875); CD’s annotated copy is in the Darwin Pamphlet Collection–CUL.
2
The nib or quill slip of a dip pen was secured to a holder or shaft. CD used Bramah pens while on the Beagle voyage (see Voyage, p. 252). See also Correspondence vol. 4, letter to Swale and Wilson, [on or before 24 October 1849].
3
In his article ‘Diderot’ ([Morley] 1875), John Morley discussed the history and development of the encyclopaedia as well as the production of the Encyclopédie, whose principal editor was Denis Diderot (Diderot and Alembert eds. 1751–84).
4
A reprint of Descent 2d ed. (eleventh thousand) with corrections and text changes was printed in 1875 (Freeman 1977). William had not been on CD’s presentation list for Descent 2d ed. (Correspondence vol. 22, Appendix IV).

Please cite as “DCP-LETT-10201G,” in Ɛpsilon: The Charles Darwin Collection accessed on 5 June 2025, https://epsilon.ac.uk/view/dcp-data/letters/DCP-LETT-10201G