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From T. L. Brunton   10 January 1881

Europa Hotel. | New Mole Parade, Gibraltar.

Jany 10th. 1881

Dear Mr. Darwin

About two years ago I gave some lectures in Natural History & Theology at the Free Church College in Aberdeen.1 The choice of my subject was guided by the motives which I have mentioned in the preface to the reprinted lectures the proof sheets of which I now send to you. My object in doing so is to beg you to do me the great favour to look at the preface & Lecture XVI & if you find anything in it with which you disagree to let me know2

If you think it correct please put the proofs in the waste basket without a word of comment but if incorrect I should be infinitely obliged by your kindly letting me know in order that I may if possible alter or amend anything in an appendix.

I should have greatly wished to dedicate the work to you but that would to a great extent have frustrated the purpose I have in view which is to reach those who will not read your works.

You will see by the address on this letter that I am at present abroad

I have been suffering so much from ague that I have been obliged to leave London for three months & I am now on my way to Algiers.

I was extremely sorry to miss you when you called upon me3   I trust you will forgive my troubling you with the proofs but beg you will not waste a moment upon them if it is inconvenient for you. Believe me | Yours very sincerely | T Lauder Brunton

Charles Darwin Esq

1
The Free Church College was a training college for clergy of the Free Church of Scotland.
2
Brunton sent the proof-sheets of The Bible and science (Brunton 1881). In the preface, he stated that the aim of the book was to show that the doctrine of evolution was not atheistic, and not opposed to the biblical account of creation (p. viii); chapter 16 was titled ‘The Mosaic record and evolution’.
3
CD was last in London from 7 to 11 December 1880 (Correspondence vol. 28, Appendix II). Brunton lived in Welbeck Street, London (Correspondence vol. 27, letter from T. L. Brunton, 5 December 1879).

Please cite as “DCP-LETT-12999,” in Ɛpsilon: The Charles Darwin Collection accessed on 5 June 2025, https://epsilon.ac.uk/view/dcp-data/letters/DCP-LETT-12999