Ɛpsilon

To Richard Owen    [January 1838]1

36 Grt. Marlbro’ St

Wednesday

My dear Owen

I called yesterday in hopes of being able to see you, and of finding you quite well again.—2

I want to speak to you about the last engravings which Scharf has sent.—3 I suppose you received the revise of Toxodon.— What an unlucky affair the failure of the big head was.—4 It will be well if the first number is out by the 1st of Feb. but I hope it will be.—

I want to know whether you will be at home between two and half after this day if I call.— Will you send me word by the Bearer.

I name this hour for at 3o. I am engaged at Geolog. Soc. and before I have Mr Sowerby, who is beginning to go through my fossil shells—5

Ever Yours | C. Darwin

1
Dated by the relationship to the letters to Richard Owen, [28 December 1837] and 28 [December 1837] (Correspondence vol. 2).
2
Owen was describing the fossil mammals CD brought back from the Beagle voyage. Fossil Mammalia, part 1 of Zoology, was published early in February 1838.
3
The lithographer George Scharf prepared the engravings for Fossil Mammalia.
5
George Brettingham Sowerby described the fossil shells from the Beagle voyage.

Manuscript Alterations and Comments

1.1 you, and] ‘, and’ over ‘—’
3.2 by] over ‘—’

Please cite as “DCP-LETT-399A,” in Ɛpsilon: The Charles Darwin Collection accessed on 5 June 2025, https://epsilon.ac.uk/view/dcp-data/letters/DCP-LETT-399A