To Horace Darwin   23 October [1879]

Down, | Beckenham, Kent. | Railway Station | Orpington. S.E.R.

Oct 23d

My dear Horace.

Many thanks for all the many things which you have done for me & for your ship-shape account,— all as clear as daylight.— I hope you have charged me enough for all your own affairs.— The tank is a heavy expense, & there will be so much the less to divide amongst you all at the end of January or beginning of February, & this seems rather to please Frank.—1

How happy you will be my dear old fellow on Saturday.—2

Your affect | C. Darwin

Postmark: OC 23 79

1
Horace’s account has not been found. He had worked on a tank for either rain water or liquid sewage (for garden use) in the orchard at Down House (letter from Emma Darwin to H. E. Litchfield, [24 September 1879] (DAR 219.9: 209)). According to CD’s Classed account books (Down House MS), CD paid £370 14s. 3d. for a tank in the orchard on 23 October 1879. He had had tanks for liquid sewage and rainwater constructed in the 1840s and 1850s (see Correspondence vol. 2, letter to Susan Darwin, 27[–8] April [1843], and Correspondence vol. 5, letter to Edward Cresy, 15 May [1853]). CD had decided to divide his surplus income among his children annually (see letter to the Darwin children, 21 February 1879). Frank: Francis Darwin.
2
Horace was going to spend a few days with his fiancée, Ida Farrer, on Saturday 25 October (letter from Emma Darwin to Ida Farrer, [22 October 1879] (DAR 258: 629); letter from T. H. Farrer, 30 October 1879).

Please cite as “DCP-LETT-12268G,” in Ɛpsilon: The Charles Darwin Collection accessed on 5 June 2025, https://epsilon.ac.uk/view/dcp-data/letters/DCP-LETT-12268G