From S. H. Haliburton   12 December [1880]1

Bridge House | Richmond | S.W.

Decr. 12th.—

Dear Charles Darwin

It is no use! I cannot resist writing to tell you, what a real & great pleasure it was to me, to see you, & such a goodly Assemblage of Darwins besides, a gratification I had hardly hoped for—2 You are one of my oldest remaining friends, & you are so happily associated with the palmy days of yore, that it is indeed a heartfelt satisfaction to me to see you, & to feel assured, that old times are still fresh in your memory, & your friendly regard unabated—3

I can only hope this satisfaction may be renewed at no very distant period for Life is short, & uncertain; But while it lasts, believe that I am always most affectionately your’s, | S. H. Haliburton.

PS.| Our meeting had but one drawback, you called me “Mss. Haliburton” twice— This offence must not be repeated—4

CD annotations

Top of letter: ‘done’
1
The year is established by the relationship between this letter and the letter to S. H. Haliburton, 13 December 1880.
2
Haliburton had visited CD and Emma Darwin at the home of Erasmus Alvey Darwin some time during their stay in London from 7 to 11 December 1880 (see letter to S. H. Haliburton, 13 December 1880).
3
Haliburton had been a close friend and neighbour of CD before the Beagle voyage.

Please cite as “DCP-LETT-12907,” in Ɛpsilon: The Charles Darwin Collection accessed on 5 June 2025, https://epsilon.ac.uk/view/dcp-data/letters/DCP-LETT-12907