Ɛpsilon

To [Francis Lloyd]   1 May [1877]1

May 1st

Dear Sir—

I am sorry to hear of your illness.— I do not feel at all sure what you want me to do, but I suppose that you wish me to apply to some wealthy person to assist you.2 I know of no one to whom I could possibly apply, & to the best of my belief it would be impossible to get up any subscription in your aid. I have taken a part in some such work & I know from experience that any such attempt would be hopeless, except in the case of men who have pursued with success some definite branch of science.— Philosophical work of a general nature is esteemed by but few persons. On painful occasions like the present, it is the best plan to speak without any reserve, & as I think you must be at present in want of cash, I hope that you will allow me to send you a cheque for 10£, which I presume you could get converted into money where you now are.— 3

I will only add that from living in the country & from being in weak health, I am very ill fitted either to give advice or assistance.—

With my best wishes for your improved health, I am Dear Sir

ADraft

1
The correspondent and year are established from the entry in CD’s Classed account books (see n. 3, below).
2
No letter from Lloyd has been found. Lloyd had written a critique of Francis Galton’s theory of heredity in 1876 (Lloyd 1876); a copy is in the Darwin Pamphlet Collection–CUL.
3
An entry in CD’s Classed account books (Down House MS) on 1 May 1877 records under ‘Charities’ a payment of £10 for ‘F. Lloyd’.

Manuscript Alterations and Comments

1.1 want] above del ‘want’
1.2 I suppose] after del ‘it is better in all’
1.2 that] interl
1.3 possibly] interl
1.4 impossible] after del ‘quite’ interl
1.7 Philosophical … nature] del and stetted
1.7 is … persons.] interl
1.9 as … present] interl above del ‘if you are’
1.9 hope … me] interl above del ‘shd be happy’
1.10 send you] above del ‘me’
1.10 get] interl
2.1 from] interl
3.1 With] after del ‘I trust that your letter’

Please cite as “DCP-LETT-10948,” in Ɛpsilon: The Charles Darwin Collection accessed on 5 June 2025, https://epsilon.ac.uk/view/dcp-data/letters/DCP-LETT-10948