Ɛpsilon

To James Geikie   [after 15 December 1881]1

[4 Bryanston Street, London.]

My dear Sir

I can entertain no doubt that you are excellently fitted to fill the chair of Geology in the U. of Edinburgh.2 I have read with care & great interest your two last works relating on the later geological periods which are probably the most difficult of all to investigate;3 & after reading these works, I am convinced that you will be able to excite in the minds of all students a keen interest in the science of Geology, & this is the corner-stone in the work of teaching.—

Earnestly wishing you success, I remain | my dear Sir | yours very faithfully | Ch. D

ADraftS

1
The date is established by the relationship between this letter and the letter from James Geikie, 15 December 1881.
3
Geikie had written two major works on the origin of surface features and their formation during glacial periods (J. Geikie 1874 and J. Geikie 1881).

Manuscript Alterations and Comments

1.1 are] above del ‘wd be’
1.2 great] after del ‘very’
1.2 works] after del ‘great’
1.3 relating] interl
1.3 later] after del ‘last’
1.3 are] above del ‘are’
1.4 after] after del ‘I am’
1.4 be able to] above del ‘be’
1.5 excite] after del ‘able to’
1.5 all] above del ‘any’
1.6 corner-stone in] above del ‘most important part’
1.6 work] above del ‘art’
2.1 Earnestly] ‘E’ over ‘e’; after del ‘Wishing’ & ‘I’
2.1 wishing] above del ‘wish’

Please cite as “DCP-LETT-13553,” in Ɛpsilon: The Charles Darwin Collection accessed on 5 June 2025, https://epsilon.ac.uk/view/dcp-data/letters/DCP-LETT-13553