Ɛpsilon

To Arthur Nicols   [after 24 February 1876]1

Excuse brevity, I have many letters daily to write

I agree with all you say about being led to enquire as foundation of observation.2

Publisher3

Quite right then not to attack tradition beliefs, however absurd

Your idea seems a good one & well carried out—& I shd think & hope attractive to the young—as far as I can judge— I have made 1 or 2 pencil memoranda—where your statements seem to me rather strong4

ADraft

1
The date is established by the relationship between this letter and the letter from Arthur Nicols, 24 February 1876.
2
See letter from Arthur Nicols, 24 February 1876. Nicols had sent CD a chapter of his proposed book and outlined his approach to writing on scientific topics for children.
3
Nicols had asked CD’s advice about getting a publisher. His book, The puzzle of life, was published by Longmans, Green, and Co. (Nicols 1877).
4
CD evidently returned the manuscript of the chapter with his comments.

Manuscript Alterations and Comments

2.1 being] after del pencil ‘en’
3.1 Publisher] circled pencil

Please cite as “DCP-LETT-10409,” in Ɛpsilon: The Charles Darwin Collection accessed on 5 June 2025, https://epsilon.ac.uk/view/dcp-data/letters/DCP-LETT-10409