Ɛpsilon

From Ellen Harrison to Emma Darwin   [January 1878]1

I think children in the house keep us elderly ones much more youthful than we should be with out them. I used to find that very much with my dear boy Lawford, only they will grow up so fast. The other day he was digging tunnels with his wooden spade in the sand and now he is engineering in Ceylon, and writes to me about assisting at an operation on a poor elephant’s foot, where his part was sitting on the animal’s head whose tears were running down his cheeks!2

John3 has not been very well lately, but is better again now.

Will you remember us both most kindly to Dr Darwin and believe me dear Emma always | Your affectionate friend | Ellen Harrison

incomplete

CD annotations

1.1 I think … in the sand 1.4] crossed pencil
Top of first page: ‘Expression | Jan 1878’ pencil
1
The date is established by CD’s annotation.
2
Lawford Maclean Acland was Harrison’s nephew. Harrison had probably been commenting on the Darwins’ grandson, Bernard Darwin, who lived with the Darwins. CD had discussed elephants’ tears in Expression, pp. 167–8 and n. 20. The information in this letter was not added to Expression 2d ed., edited by Francis Darwin.
3
John Harrison was Ellen’s husband.

Please cite as “DCP-LETT-11304,” in Ɛpsilon: The Charles Darwin Collection accessed on 5 June 2025, https://epsilon.ac.uk/view/dcp-data/letters/DCP-LETT-11304