Ɛpsilon

From T. H. Farrer   10 October 1880

Abinger Hall, | Dorking. | (Gomshall S.E.R. | Station & Telegraph.)

10 Oct/80

My dear Mr Darwin

Horace, Payne, Ida & I have been examining the ruins again today—and I think we can answer your questions.1

1. The worms are still working through the concrete floor of Room No 1.—2

2. The two trenches we made for you were at the East & west ends of room No 1.    the trench at the East end I feel quite sure of: it was outside the wall of that room. About the trench at the west end I cannot be quite so sure— At the west end there is no outer wall but the concrete was broken away and it ended in a mass of broken stones & rubbish.3 The compass bearings are as I told you. The hedge runs east & west, the east end being the higher—up the hill. The walls of the ruin run as nearly as possible north & south & east & west—4

I inclose a sketch Horace made on the spot.

Some splendid red worm castings collected by Horace on a road made of brick rubbish shall come tomorrow.5

We are much enjoying a sight of them both—robust from Switzerland—both in excellent health & spirits & Horace keen for work6

Ever yours sincerely | T H Farrer

We examined the walk round the rough which is on fibrous peat and could find no worms or their doings: there were plenty on the neighbouring open rough where the soil is sand with a little mould above it7

CD annotations

2.1 1. … 1.—] double scored red crayon; ‘Use’ blue ink circled blue ink
5.1 Some … tomorrow. 5.2] scored red crayon
6.1 We … both—] crossed blue crayon
8.1 We … doings: 8.2] double scored red crayon; ‘Sand not Boggy’ blue crayon
First page: ‘Used’ pencil circled pencil
Top of letter: ‘very glad to see your Memo Book.—’ pencil; ‘Keep Habits’8 red crayon
1
Horace Darwin, George Payne, Farrer’s gardener, Ida Darwin, and Farrer were examining the ruins of a Roman villa that had been partially excavated on the Abinger estate. For CD’s questions, see letters to T. H. Farrer, 1 October 1880 and 8 October 1880.
2
CD had asked Farrer to check whether worm-castings were still ejected onto the concrete floor in one of the rooms of the excavated Roman villa (letter to T. H. Farrer, 1 October 1880).
3
CD wished to locate the two trenches that were dug at the time the excavations began (letter to T. H. Farrer, 8 October 1880).
4
Farrer had informed CD that the bearings given on a printed plan of the excavation site were incorrect (letter from T. H. Farrer, 9 October 1880).
5
CD had asked for more castings from paths made from brick rubbish in order to see whether the small fragments of stone swallowed by worms acted like millstones to crush their food (letter to T. H. Farrer, 10 October [1880]).
6
Horace and Ida Darwin had been on a honeymoon tour in Switzerland in September (see letter from Emma Darwin to Sara Darwin, [3 September 1880] (DAR 219.1: 138)).
7
The Abinger Roughs are areas of ancient woodland and grassland above the village of Abinger Hammer in Surrey.
8
‘Memo Book’: see letter from T. H. Farrer, 9 October 1880. ‘Keep Habits’: possibly a note CD wrote to remind himself to keep this letter in a portfolio relating to the habits of earthworms. CD might also be referring to earthworms continuing to penetrate the concrete floor of the Roman villa after it had been excavated (see n. 2, above).

Please cite as “DCP-LETT-12751,” in Ɛpsilon: The Charles Darwin Collection accessed on 5 June 2025, https://epsilon.ac.uk/view/dcp-data/letters/DCP-LETT-12751