To Thomas Salt   12 July [1854]

Down Farnborough Kent

July 12th.

My dear Sir

I am much obliged to you for your note received this morning, informing me that 1018£ will be paid to my account this day in London.— I am very sorry that you shd. have been inconvenienced by Mr. Muckleston paying the whole in Gold.— I am thankful to have done with the gentleman.—1

I have not yet received the interest from L. Powis on the 13,000£ up to July 1st., but daresay I soon shall.— I do not suppose that an ordinary receipt for the principal & interest will suffice, & if it be my part to have any formal document drawn up will you be so kind to take the necessary steps.— I sent about a month ago the Bond to you.— I sent a provisional, stamped receipt for the 13,000£ to Mr. — C. Wilding.—2

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

T. Salt Esqre.—

According to CD’s Investment book, on 24 June 1845, Edward Muckleston (1790–1851) was lent £1000 from Emma Darwin’s trust for five years; the money was repaid in 1854. See also this volume, Supplement, letters to Thomas Salt, 24 December 1851 and 26 December [1851], and Correspondence vol. 5, letter to Josiah Wedgwood III, 1 May [1854]. Muckleston’s executor was his son, Edward Muckleston (1819–1913).
Edward James Herbert, earl of Powis, had borrowed £13,000 from CD in November 1849, a continuation of the loan extended to Herbert by Robert Waring Darwin. According to CD’s Investment book (Down House MS), p. 43, the capital was repaid on 1 July 1854. Interest up to 1 July 1854 was also recorded (ibid., p. 44). Charles Wilding was Lord Powis’s land agent.

Manuscript Alterations and Comments

1.2 1018£] ‘£’ above‘1000’
2.1 13,000£] ’£‘ above‘13,000’
2.4 about a] above del ‘some‘
2.5 for the 13,000£] interl; ’£‘ above‘13,000’

Please cite as “DCP-LETT-1577F,” in Ɛpsilon: The Charles Darwin Collection accessed on 5 June 2025, https://epsilon.ac.uk/view/dcp-data/letters/DCP-LETT-1577F