Ɛpsilon

To W. C. McIntosh   [after 21 November 1881]1

[Down.]

My dear Sir

I am sorry to say that I have given so strong a testimonial to Dr. Ray L. & expressed so strong a wish for his success, that it would stultify me to give another.2 I assure you that it pains me to refuse your request; but it may be doubted whether a testimonial from me wd be of any value unless the electors are evolutionists, which is not very probable.—

ADraft

1
The date is established by the relationship between this letter and the letter from W. C. McIntosh, 21 November 1881.
2
CD had written a letter of support for Edwin Ray Lankester’s candidacy for the chair of natural history at Edinburgh University (see letter to E. R. Lankester, 31 October 1881).

Manuscript Alterations and Comments

1.1 & … success, 1.2] interl
1.2 stultify] after del ‘stultf’
1.3 assure] after del ‘can’
1.3 pains] above del ‘vexes’
1.3 may be] del and stet below del ‘can may hardly be’
1.3 whether] above del ‘that’, above del ‘how far’
1.4 any value] above del ‘valueless’; ‘less’ added to ‘value’
1.4 unless … evolutionists,] after del ‘*any elector [above del ‘anyone’]’
1.4 unless … evolutionists,] above del ‘who is not evolutionist; & I’
1.4 which] after del ‘imagine that’

Please cite as “DCP-LETT-13501,” in Ɛpsilon: The Charles Darwin Collection accessed on 5 June 2025, https://epsilon.ac.uk/view/dcp-data/letters/DCP-LETT-13501