Ɛpsilon

To John Price   [8 September – 13 October 1863]1

Malvern. Wells

Tuesday

Dear Price,

I have been ill, & am very weak. I do read your numbers—& last night I read Heureka.2

It seems to me as good as, perhaps better, than, the other articles.—

I am astonished at your vivid recollection of old times.3

I wonder you do not give us more about the wilder parts of North Wales, which I admire with the fervour of a Welchman.4

I sincerely wish you all success & that you may improve & please many readers—

I can write no more.—

Yours very sincerely | Ch. Darwin.

Copy

1
The date range is established by the reference to Price 1863–4, and by CD’s address. According to Emma Darwin’s diary (DAR 242), CD stayed in Malvern Wells, Worcestershire, from 3 September to 12 or 13 October 1863; the first Tuesday after his arrival was 8 September.
2
The reference is to Price’s miscellaneous work, Old Price’s remains (Price 1863–4), published in monthly parts between April 1863 and March 1864. CD refers to a humorous article in the number for September 1863, entitled ‘E’UPHKA, E’UPHKA!’ (Eureka, eureka!) (ibid., pp. 277–82). CD’s copy of the work is in the Darwin Library–CUL.
3
Price was a childhood friend of CD’s; they were at Shrewsbury School together (see Correspondence vol. 1).
4
Shropshire, of which CD’s home town Shrewsbury is the county town, borders on north Wales, and CD made several trips there as a boy (see Correspondence vol. 1 , ‘Journal’ (Correspondence vol. 11, Appendix I)); he continued to visit Wales while he was at Cambridge and afterwards (see Correspondence vol. 2, ‘Journal’ (Correspondence vol. 11, Appendix II)).

Please cite as “DCP-LETT-4286,” in Ɛpsilon: The Charles Darwin Collection accessed on 5 June 2025, https://epsilon.ac.uk/view/dcp-data/letters/DCP-LETT-4286