To J. S. Bowerbank, Ray Society1   28 September [1851]

Down Farnborough | Kent

Sept. 28th.—

My dear Sir

I hear from Mr. Sowerby that the 10 Plates for my volume are ready for Printing off,2 & he would be much obliged for the order to this end.

He has had a Fire & suffered some little loss, & would therefore be grateful if in your power to pass his account for £23 ’ s 10 pretty soon, & let him have the cash.

I wrote sometime since about my not having had some Publications of the Ray Soc. which I fancy are published, but perhaps I am mistaken.—

I am now correcting the 200th page of my Volume.—

My dear Sir | Your’s very faithfuly | C. Darwin

PS. | Upon reflexion, I think I had better advance, under the circumstances, the money to Sowerby, & then he can hand over to me, your cheque whenever paid to him—3

1
Bowerbank was treasurer of the Ray Society as well as being the secretary of the Palaeontographical Society.
2
The ten plates for Living Cirripedia (1851) to be published by the Ray Society.
3
CD’s Account book (Down House MS) has an entry for 1 October 1851: ‘Loaned to Sowerby. Ray Soc. Bills— [£]23 10[s]’. The minutes of the Ray Society show that sum paid to Sowerby on 6 October (Ray Society minutes, British Museum (Natural History)).

Manuscript Alterations and Comments

3.1 some] above del illeg
6.3 him] over ‘me.’

Please cite as “DCP-LETT-1455,” in Ɛpsilon: The Charles Darwin Collection accessed on 5 June 2025, https://epsilon.ac.uk/view/dcp-data/letters/DCP-LETT-1455