Ɛpsilon

To J. D. Hooker   1 December 1880

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

December 1st 1880

My dear Hooker

I thank you cordially for your advice. I never for a moment expected that Frank would be elected until 2 or 3 years had elapsed; for I know that even such men as Bates were not soon elected.—1

The wish to be proposed now was wholly my doing; as Frank himself thought it would be better to wait. To save you trouble I enclose a list of Franks papers, which he has just drawn up at my request, & which perhaps you will be so good as to return hereafter.—

I will follow your advice whatever it may be.

Perhaps I had better get some younger man to propose him, if he is to be proposed.2 I daresay, however, it would be better to wait.

I again thank you very truly | Ever yours | C. Darwin

I need hardly add that if he is proposed & whoever proposes-him, I would send round the certificate for other signatures.—

1
See letter from J. D. Hooker, 29 November 1880. Hooker had advised CD about proposing Francis Darwin for fellowship of the Royal Society of London. Henry Walter Bates was first proposed for election to the Royal Society in 1879 by CD (see Correspondence vol. 27, letter to H. W. Bates, 26 January 1879). He was elected in June 1881 (Royal Society archives, GB 117 EC/1881/09).
2
In the event, Francis was proposed by Michael Foster in January 1881 and elected in June 1882 (Royal Society archives, GB 117 EC/1882/09).

Manuscript Alterations and Comments

0.1 (Railway … S.E.R.)] parentheses added
6.2 round] interl

Please cite as “DCP-LETT-12880,” in Ɛpsilon: The Charles Darwin Collection accessed on 5 June 2025, https://epsilon.ac.uk/view/dcp-data/letters/DCP-LETT-12880