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From Raphael Meldola   3 February 1882

21, John Street, | Bedford Row. W.C.

Feb. 3/82

My dear Mr. Darwin,

I am really deeply grateful for the very kind appreciation which you show towards my humble efforts to promote the cause of the great principle of Evolution & I cannot sufficiently express how greatly I am touched by your generous offer to subscribe towards the expense of producing my translation of Weismann.1 There is not however any need for me to tax your kindness— the loss (if any) will be borne by the publishers, & even if I had to bear it myself I am happily in such circumstances that I should think it a sum well worthy of sinking in such a good cause. Pray accept however my warmest thanks for the offer.

I hope you will not think me improper in suggesting one little donation which would be very gratefully accepted—viz. a copy of your last work on the earthworm for the library of the Essex Field Club.2 We are beginning to get a tolerable collection of books & pamphlets by way of a start &, apart from the value of the work itself, the example set by you would be a most valuable precedent for other naturalists to promote our cause. You will see by the last part of our Transactions that we have done good work & are now I think worthy of support.3

One other little matter of a personal nature & I will not trespass any further upon your time. It has long been my desire to get into the Royal Society & I have I think published a sufficient number of papers in chemistry, physics & biology to warrant my becoming a candidate. I have devoted the greatest part of my life to labours in various branches of science & could get my certificate of membership signed by many well known chemists, physicists & biologists. I hear however that it is customary for the first steps to be taken by someone other than the candidate himself— if you would (at your leisure, there is not the slightest hurry, I am young & can afford to wait!) kindly take my cause in hand I can assure you that I should in no way discredit your recommendation.4

With the most sincere thanks, | I remain, Yours very faithfully, | R. Meldola.

1
See letter to Raphael Meldola, 2 February 1882 and nn. 1 and 4. CD offered to contribute 10 guineas (£10 10s.) to support the publication of Meldola’s translation of August Weismann’s Studien zur Descendenz-Theorie (Weismann 1880–2).
2
Meldola was president of the Epping Forest and County of Essex Naturalists’ Field Club.
3
The Transactions of the Epping Forest and County of Essex Naturalists’ Field Club began publication in January 1881. The last part of the Transactions was the Journal of Proceedings, which contained reports of the club’s ordinary, field, and other meetings. CD had been elected an honorary member of the club in 1880 (see Correspondence vol. 28, letter from William Cole, 14 February 1880, and letter to William Cole, 17 February 1880).
4
CD proposed Meldola for fellowship in the Royal Society of London in February 1882; Meldola was elected in June 1886 (Royal Society Archives GB 117, EC/1886/10).

Please cite as “DCP-LETT-13655,” in Ɛpsilon: The Charles Darwin Collection accessed on 5 June 2025, https://epsilon.ac.uk/view/dcp-data/letters/DCP-LETT-13655