Ɛpsilon

From Hugh Falconer   10 November [1864]1

21 Park Crescent N.W.

10th. Novr.

My Dear Darwin

All right, no one would think for a moment of emperilling your precious health. Any of your friends will be proud to receive the medal for you at the Anniversary.2 Of that I am sure.

But I do not regret having written my last note to you—by calling your attention to the double import of the award at the present juncture.3

It is manifest to me that that the document was aimed at the two objects mentioned in my note—and I rejoice that the award came after instead of before it.

I shall not trouble you more.

Yours very Sinly | H Falconer

1
The year is established by the reference to the Copley Medal (see n. 2, below).
2
The Copley Medal was to be presented to CD at the anniversary meeting of the Royal Society of London on 30 November 1864. Because of his state of health, CD did not feel able to attend (see letter to Hugh Falconer, 8 November [1864], and letter to J. D. Hooker, 26 November [1864]). In his absence, the medal was received by George Busk (see Proceedings of the Royal Society of London 13 (1864): 510).

Please cite as “DCP-LETT-4669,” in Ɛpsilon: The Charles Darwin Collection accessed on 5 June 2025, https://epsilon.ac.uk/view/dcp-data/letters/DCP-LETT-4669