Ɛpsilon

To F. B. White   [after 11 June 1879]1

Dear Sir—

I have a strong opinion that no man ought to give a Testimonial, without a full knowledge of the acquirements of the person whom he recommends. Now I do not at all know how far you are acquainted with the intern & extern & of the Vertebrata, or which it is perhaps still more important of the lower invertebrate classes, with the exception of Insects.2

Therefore, though I think very highly of your paper on St Helena,3 & I do not doubt about the value of your Entomology work, I do not feel justified in sending you a testimony, though I I can truly say that you have my good wishes for your success

Pray excuse me & believe me | Yours faithfully | C. D.

ADraftS

1
The date is established by the relationship between this letter and the letter from F. B. White, 11 June 1879.
3
F. B. White 1878.

Manuscript Alterations and Comments

1.1 man] above del ‘one’
1.1 a full] above del ‘personal’
1.2 I] after del ‘you must be aware that’
1.3 are] after del ‘familiar’
1.3 acquainted] after del ‘with’
1.3 how … extern] above del ‘what your knowledge is of comparative anatomy’
1.3 & of] below del ‘about systematic [illeg] [‘some’ del] of’
1.4 perhaps] above del ‘perhaps’
2.2 Entomology] above del ‘paper’
2.2 I] after del ‘on insects’
2.3 that] after del ‘though [above del ‘that’ ]’
2.3 for … success 2.4] interl

Please cite as “DCP-LETT-12104,” in Ɛpsilon: The Charles Darwin Collection accessed on 5 June 2025, https://epsilon.ac.uk/view/dcp-data/letters/DCP-LETT-12104