From Emma Darwin to J. D. Hooker   17 March [1864]

Down Bromley | Kent

Mar 17

Dear Dr Hooker

Charles begs me to say that if the plants are not already sent off to ask you to add Combretum argenteum: as having C. purpureum the foolish vice of modesty made him decline it.1 As soon as he can he wants much to write to you. He wishes you to thank Prof. Oliver from him for his most valuable letter.2

He has had a better week with much less sickness owing to a slight tightness of the chest & exema. The exema alas is gone & was hardly decided enough to affect him much but I am glad it is lurking about him.3

I am yours very sincerely | E. Darwin

Endorsement: ‘/64.’

1
CD had sent a list of specimens for Hooker to supply from Kew (see letter from Emma Darwin to J. D. Hooker, 12 March [1864], and letter from J. D. Hooker, 16 March 1864). Hooker did not send the spiral twiner Combretum argenteum with this shipment; however, CD did acquire it later, mentioning his observations of it in ‘Climbing plants’, pp. 18 and 24 (see letter to J. D. Hooker, 2 June [1864], and letter from J. D. Hooker, 15 June 1864).
3
CD felt that his general health improved during eczema attacks (see, for example, Correspondence vol. 11, letter to J. D. Hooker, 5 March [1863]). See also letter from Emma Darwin to J. D. Hooker, 12 March [1864] and n. 4.

Please cite as “DCP-LETT-4429,” in Ɛpsilon: The Charles Darwin Collection accessed on 5 June 2025, https://epsilon.ac.uk/view/dcp-data/letters/DCP-LETT-4429