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To F. W. Surman   22 December 1881

Down, | Beckenham, Kent. | (Railway Station | Orpington. S.E.R.)

Dec. 22d 1881

Dear Surman

I have heard from Dr. Günther & your case is hopeless, as he says “please note, that the man must not be beyond 30 years age”.1 Moreover the permission of one of the 3 chief Trustees must be obtained before even application can be made, & I have no influence whatever on the Archbishop, the Chancellor & Speaker.—2

I am sorry that you shd be disappointed & remain | Yours faithfully | Ch. Darwin

Dr. G. says that the applications is very great.—

1
See letter from Albert Günther, 21 December 1881. In 1881, Surman would have been 31.
2
See letter from Albert Günther, 21 December 1881 and n. 2. Archibald Campbell Tait was the archbishop of Canterbury, Roundell Palmer was the lord chancellor, and Henry Brand was the speaker of the House of Commons.

Manuscript Alterations and Comments

0.1 (Railway … S.E.R.)] parentheses added

Please cite as “DCP-LETT-13576,” in Ɛpsilon: The Charles Darwin Collection accessed on 5 June 2025, https://epsilon.ac.uk/view/dcp-data/letters/DCP-LETT-13576