Ɛpsilon

To W. K. Parker?   20 November [1878]1

4. Bryanston St | Portman St.

Nov. 20th

My dear Sir

If you feel so inclined & can spare the time, will you give me the pleasure of seeing you here, by coming any one of the next few days (except tomorrow, Thursday) to luncheon at 1 oclock.— I would have called on you, but it is a rather long drive for me, & there would be a good chance of my not finding you at home.—2 If you can come, will you let me hear the day, that I may not fail to be here.—

My dear Sir | Yours sincerely | Ch. Darwin

1
The year is established by the period of CD’s stay at 4 Bryanston Street, London from 19 to 27 November 1878 (CD’s ‘Journal’ (Appendix II)). The correspondent is conjectured on the basis of the provenance.
2
CD had called on Parker in January 1878 when Parker was not at home; he hoped to meet Parker when he was next in London (letter to W. K. Parker, 20 January [1878]).

Manuscript Alterations and Comments

0.1 4 … St.] above del ‘Down, | Beckenham, Kent. | Railway Station | Orpington. S.E.R.’
1.5 me] after del ‘th’

Please cite as “DCP-LETT-11751,” in Ɛpsilon: The Charles Darwin Collection accessed on 5 June 2025, https://epsilon.ac.uk/view/dcp-data/letters/DCP-LETT-11751