Ɛpsilon

From William Clowes & Sons   [before 8 November 1880]1

William Clowes & Sons. | Limited. | Duke Street, Stamford Street, | London, S.E.

Dear Sir,

We are very much vexed that you should imagine for one moment that we should put aside your book2 for others: having always been treated with great courtesy by you it has been our strong wish to push forward your works with the greatest rapidity—the delay in this case has been with the Index-maker:3 we received the copy only this morning and before we got your letter4 had arranged for the whole of the proof to be out tonight: Hoping that this explanation will convince you that we are not to blame.

We are Sir | Yours faithfully | Wm Clowes & Sons ld.: | per E. [A] Clowes:5

Ch: Darwin Esqre

1
The date is established by the year in which the firm William Clowes and Sons became ‘William Clowes and Sons Ltd.’, and by the relationship between this letter and the letter to R. F. Cooke, 8 November [1880].
2
Movement in plants.
3
The indexer was Matilda Smith.
4
CD’s letter has not been found.

Please cite as “DCP-LETT-12380,” in Ɛpsilon: The Charles Darwin Collection accessed on 5 June 2025, https://epsilon.ac.uk/view/dcp-data/letters/DCP-LETT-12380