Ɛpsilon

From Lawson Tait   29 November [1875]1

7, Great Charles St. | Birmingham.

Novr. 29

My Dear Sir,

Thanks for your kind letter. The chemical part of my paper is the weak one, for my experience in that point is limited.

I posted the abstract on Saturday, so that you probably have received it by this time.2

Yesterday I met Mr Bennett, whom I find to be very charming, and very much interested in the matters under observation.3

Yesterday my lecture was a great success.4 A large audience listened very attentively & seemed greatly struck by the facts I was able to lay before them. I was greatly pleased that when I passed upon you an inadequate but well merited eulogium, I “brought down the house”

“Darwinismus” is making rapid progress amongst the public.

I deeply regret that you have been ailing, but hope that you may long be spared for the good of our common cause against ignorance and superstition.

With reiterated thanks for your great kindness to me, | Believe me | Yours faithfully, | Lawson Tait

May I just remind you that two substances, ptyalin & pepsin, are always required for digestion; & in some cases four, ptyalin, pepsin pancreatic juice & intestinal mucous.5

1
The year is established by the reference to Tait’s paper (see n. 2, below).
2
See letter to Lawson Tait, 27 November [1875]. CD had agreed to send Tait’s paper on the tropical pitcher-plant, Nepenthes, to the Royal Society of London for possible publication. The abstract has not been found.
3
Alfred William Bennett had corresponded with CD about insectivorous plants and had written a favourable review of CD’s book (see Correspondence vol. 22, letter from A. W. Bennett, 21 September 1874, and this volume, letter to A. W. Bennett, 17 July [1875]).
4
In his letter of 20 November [1875], Tait mentioned that he was giving a lecture in London on Sunday 28 November; the lecture has not been identified.

Please cite as “DCP-LETT-10281,” in Ɛpsilon: The Charles Darwin Collection accessed on 5 June 2025, https://epsilon.ac.uk/view/dcp-data/letters/DCP-LETT-10281