Ɛpsilon

From W. E. Darwin   27 June [1863?]1

Southampton

June 27.

My Dear Father,

I thought the simplest plan was to go and speak to Old Rosas himself;2 so I caught him yesterday; I tried to explain that you had met him last year and spoke to him, and I think he understood3

At all events he took your paper and read it carefully through making me read each word, and then he said he would write the answer and give it to his servant for me.4 So I went today, and the servant asked for your direction as old Rosas wanted to write to you; but he said he was very busy & should not be able to write for some few days.5

your affect son | W E. Darwin

1
The conjectured year is the earliest date possible given the reference in the letter to CD’s visit to Southampton the previous year; 1862 was the first year that CD visited William in Southampton (see n. 3, below).
2
Juan Manuel de Rosas, dictator of Argentina, had moved to England and lived near Southampton after he was deposed in 1852. In 1833, he had granted CD permission to travel in Argentina from the Rio Negro to rejoin the Beagle at Bahia Blanca (see Correspondence vol. 1, letter to C. S. Darwin, 20 September [1833]).
3
CD visited William in Southampton for the first time between 12 August and 1 September 1862 (Correspondence vol. 11, Appendix II). He might have met Rosas during this visit.
4
CD’s paper has not been identified.
5
No letter from Rosas has been found.

Please cite as “DCP-LETT-4222F,” in Ɛpsilon: The Charles Darwin Collection accessed on 5 June 2025, https://epsilon.ac.uk/view/dcp-data/letters/DCP-LETT-4222F