From W. M. Hacon   4 November 1879

18, Fenchurch Street, | London, | E. C.

4th. Novr 1879

My dear Sir

I have received your letter of yesterday. And I will communicate with Mr. William Farrer, respecting the settlement, to be executed previously to the intended marriage of your son Horace with Miss Farrer:—1 writing, either to-night or tomorrow, for an appointment for my calling upon Mr W. Farrer.— At the meeting with that gentleman, I will state, in limine, that you are prepared to make now the same settlement, as you made upon the marriage of your daughter, and your son Francis viz £5000.—2 Some reason must be assigned if you are asked to alter this sum.—

As to the intentions of the father of the Lady I must wait for explanation in the first instance.

I am | My dear Sir | Yours very truly | Wm M Hacon

Charles R. Darwin Esqre. | Down | Beckenham | Kent

1
CD’s letter has not been found; see, however, the letter to T. H. Farrer, 31 October 1879. CD had suggested that Hacon meet with T. H. Farrer’s brother William James Farrer, who was a solicitor, to discuss the marriage settlement of Horace Darwin and Ida Farrer.
2
CD had settled £5000 of debenture stock in the North Eastern Railway Company on Francis Darwin and Henrietta Emma Litchfield (see letter from W. M. Hacon, 13 October 1879 and n. 1). In limine: on the threshold, i.e., as a preliminary.

Please cite as “DCP-LETT-12294,” in Ɛpsilon: The Charles Darwin Collection accessed on 5 June 2025, https://epsilon.ac.uk/view/dcp-data/letters/DCP-LETT-12294