Ɛpsilon

To ?   5 November 1880

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

Nov. 5./80

Dear Sir

I am so much engaged I cannot write at length; but if you will consult my “Descent of Man” p. 590, 591. Ch. XX (in one of the later editions) you will find all that I know about their marriage arrangements, with some references.—1 If you will look to index, under monkeys, you will find somewhat on their mental & moral nature.—

Heartily wishing you all success | I remain, dear Sir | Yours faithfully | Ch Darwin

1
The letter to which this is a reply has not been found. In Descent 2d ed., pp. 590–1, CD discussed marriage practices among ‘savages’ and monogamy and polygamy among primates. He referred principally to the work of Lewis Henry Morgan, John Ferguson McLennan, and John Lubbock.

Manuscript Alterations and Comments

0.1 (Railway… S.E.R.)] parentheses added
1.2 Ch. XX] interl
1.3 will] added

Please cite as “DCP-LETT-12797,” in Ɛpsilon: The Charles Darwin Collection accessed on 5 June 2025, https://epsilon.ac.uk/view/dcp-data/letters/DCP-LETT-12797