To David J. Brown   18 April 1864

Down. | Bromley. | Kent. S.E.

Ap 18. 1864

Dear Sir

I am much obliged by your letter which has pleased me much, & for your M.S. which has been read aloud to me.1 I am still weak from illness & must therefore be brief.2 Your paper seems to me very well done. Many parts are striking & original. I wish it were in my power to aid in its publication, but I have no connection with any Editors, & all the Journals have so often discussed the Origin of Species” that I do not believe any of them wd insert any other paper on the subject.3

Permit me to add that I cordially honour men who like yourself have to spend much time in labour,4 yet whose minds have so much vigour & elasticity as to acquire extended knowledge & follow out original trains of thought.

With sincere respect | Dear Sir | I remain yours faithfully | Charles Darwin

The M.S. will be returned by this post.

LS(A)

1
The letter from Brown and the manuscript have not been found; however, see the letter to J. D. Hooker, 19 [April 1864] and n. 6. See also n. 3, below.
2
CD’s ‘Journal’ for 1864 has the entry: ‘Ill all Jan. Feb: March, Last sickness April 13th.’ (see Correspondence vol. 12, Appendix II). See also letter to J. D. Hooker, 13 April [1864] and nn. 5 and 6. Only the valediction and signature of the letter are in CD’s hand.
3
Although several papers published by Brown from 1865 to 1874 are listed in the Royal Society catalogue of scientific papers, none is on Origin.
4
Brown’s occupation was given as baker in the List of the Edinburgh Geological Society.

Manuscript Alterations and Comments

3.1 Dear Sir] interl in CD’s hand

Please cite as “DCP-LETT-4464,” in Ɛpsilon: The Charles Darwin Collection accessed on 5 June 2025, https://epsilon.ac.uk/view/dcp-data/letters/DCP-LETT-4464