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From Ebenezer Turnbull   17 June 1880

Garvald—Haddington Shire | Scotland—

17th. June | 1880

Sir

I beg leave to inform you that John Scott of the Botanical Gardens Calcutta, arrived home about three Weeks ago and Died, & is buried in this Obscure village.1 What I wish you to know is he has left some plants & seeds with many of your own writings, that any person here knows nothing about.2 If therefor you will kind enough to make enquiry and come or send some person to look over his affairs, he has left a sister and a small family and anything which can be realized will be some benefit3

Trusting to have your advice soon | I am Sir | Yours truly | Ebenr. Turnbull

P.S. I am MR. Scotts Uncle

1
Scott died on 11 June 1880, having returned to Britain on sick leave in 1879. CD had helped him to find employment in India in 1864. (ODNB.)
2
CD and Scott had corresponded regularly and CD had sent Scott copies of his books (see, for example, Correspondence vol. 25, letter from John Scott, 24 February 1877).
3
Scott was unmarried; his sister, Agnes Broomfield, had six children. CD’s reply has not been found, but for an indication of his response, see Correspondence vol. 28, letter to George King, 29 September 1880.

Please cite as “DCP-LETT-12638F,” in Ɛpsilon: The Charles Darwin Collection accessed on 5 June 2025, https://epsilon.ac.uk/view/dcp-data/letters/DCP-LETT-12638F