From Louis Agassiz   29 September 1863

Cambridge, [Massachusetts]

Sept. 29, 1863

My dear Sir,

Allow me to introduce to you Mr. J. P. Lesley,1 the most accomplished ⁠⟨⁠g⁠⟩⁠eologist of the United States & to take this opportunity to express to you my kindest regards.

Very truly yours | Ls Agassiz

Charles Darwin Esq.

1
J. Peter Lesley was professor of mining at the University of Pennsylvania. In October 1863 he began a three-month visit to Europe on behalf of the Pennsylvania Railroad Company, in order to study methods of hardening the surface of rails (Ames ed. 1909, 1: 436). Lesley reported having met CD at Charles Lyell’s house in London on 21 October 1863, describing him as ‘a gentle shy person of 55+ years of age’ (ibid. 1: 447). However, Emma Darwin’s diary (DAR 242) makes no reference to CD’s having gone to London on that date, and records that he had a ‘bad day’ with ‘sickness’.

Please cite as “DCP-LETT-4311,” in Ɛpsilon: The Charles Darwin Collection accessed on 5 June 2025, https://epsilon.ac.uk/view/dcp-data/letters/DCP-LETT-4311