Ɛpsilon

To Francis Darwin   [c. 6 June 1881]1

[Glenridding House, Patterdale.]

My dear F.

I despatched all the slips yesterday to Clowes, but confound them they have not sent me any revises.— I believe that I accepted all your corrections, in Ch VII chiefly omissions & one great transposition.2 I fought against some but was soon convinced that all were immense improvements.— I have nothing in the world to do, which I shd. not much care about this, if the weather was decent, but it is as cold as winter.— & the lake as black as ink with breakers(!) on the shore & the sky like lead. Rain is driving by the north wind against the windows & all is cold & dismal.—3

Your affectionate & dismal Father. | C. Darwin

1
The date is established by the relationship between this letter and the letter to Francis Darwin, 4 [June 1881].
2
William Clowes & Sons were printers to John Murray (1808–92), CD’s publisher. CD had planned to correct proof-sheets for the concluding chapter of Earthworms on 5 June 1881 (see letter to Francis Darwin, 4 [June 1881]).
3
The Darwins visited Patterdale in the Lake District from 3 June to 4 July 1881 (Emma Darwin’s diary (DAR 242)). Emma Darwin recorded that 6 and 7 June 1881 were both very cold, with a storm on 7 June (ibid.).

Manuscript Alterations and Comments

1.2 in Ch VII] interl
1.3 soon] interl
1.5 this] after del comma

Please cite as “DCP-LETT-13194,” in Ɛpsilon: The Charles Darwin Collection accessed on 5 June 2025, https://epsilon.ac.uk/view/dcp-data/letters/DCP-LETT-13194