Ɛpsilon

To Francis Darwin   [19 August 1878]1

My dear F.—

Will you answer this for me at once, saying that I was away from home & cd. not do so myself.—2 In table-drawer in middle of study, there is old copy of Nature with list of my books, which can be sent, but you must add (as far as I can remember) “Cross-Fertilization”— “Insectivorous Plants” & “Different Forms of Flowers” with dates.—3 Thank Heaven we shall be at home on Thursday by a little after 3: but you will have received card about carriages.—4

Yours affecty | C. Darwin

Monday | Barlaston.

1
The date is established by the address. The Darwins visited Barlaston, Staffordshire, the home of Emma Darwin’s brother Frank Wedgwood and his family, from 15 to 22 August 1878 (Emma Darwin’s diary (DAR 242)); the only Monday during this period was 19 August.
2
CD’s letter was written on the verso of the letter from Hermenegildo Giner de los Ríos, 12 August 1878; CD had been asked to provide a complete bibliography of his published works.
3
CD’s publisher, John Murray, frequently advertised new works by CD in Nature, often including a list of earlier works. Cross and self fertilisation was published in 1876, Insectivorous plants in 1875, and Forms of flowers in 1877.
4
The card (postcard) has not been found; 22 August 1878 fell on Thursday.

Manuscript Alterations and Comments

1.3 but … add] interl above del ‘adding’

Please cite as “DCP-LETT-11669,” in Ɛpsilon: The Charles Darwin Collection accessed on 5 June 2025, https://epsilon.ac.uk/view/dcp-data/letters/DCP-LETT-11669