To John Lindley   25 October [1861]1

Down. | Bromley. | Kent. S.E.

Oct. 25th

My dear Lindley

I am infinitely obliged for your letter, answering everything so clearly & so fully.—2

Do not read enclosed without you like, I send it on mere chance of being new to you.—

I shd. be most grateful for any orchids (especially Dendrobium) in flower & bud : if it be a small parcel tin cannister best way by Post, & you must let me repay postage: if too large, address.

C. Darwin | care of Down Postman | Bromley | Kent per Railway

I terribly want any one of your “Arethuseæ.”3

Mr James Veitch has been most generous;4 I did not know that you had spoken to him: if you see him pray say I am truly grateful. I dare not write to a live Bishop or a Lady;5 but if I knew the address of “Rucker”?? & might use your name as introduction I would write.6 I am half mad on subject.— Hooker has sent me many exotics; but I stopped him, for I thought I shd. make a fool of myself; but since I have determined to publish, I much regret it.

I will not trouble you for the Books, for systematic works are out of my line.—

Hooker is trying to buy Reichenbach on the pollen & if he gets it will lend me, for it is in no public Library & I do not suppose would be worth my buying.7

With cordial thanks for your great kindness.—

Yours very sincerely | Ch. Darwin

1
The year is given by the reference to Reichenbach 1852 (see n. 7, below).
2
The letter from Lindley has not been found. It was presumably a response to the letter to John Lindley, 18 October [1861].
3
Of the seven tribes of orchids described in Lindley 1853, the Arethuseae was the only tribe members of which CD was unable to examine.
4
James Veitch, a Chelsea nurseryman, supplied CD with many species of exotic orchids.
6
Sigismund Rucker, West Hill, Wandsworth, is acknowledged several times in Orchids for having ‘repeatedly’ sent CD valuable orchids (see especially Orchids, p. 158 n.).
7
CD refers to Reichenbach 1852 (see letters to J. D. Hooker, 15 [October 1861], 18 October [1861], and 23 October [1861]).

Manuscript Alterations and Comments

3.1 & bud] interl
3.2 it be a] interl
5.3 as introduction 5.4 ] interl
5.5 exotics] interl

Please cite as “DCP-LETT-3299,” in Ɛpsilon: The Charles Darwin Collection accessed on 5 June 2025, https://epsilon.ac.uk/view/dcp-data/letters/DCP-LETT-3299