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To W. E. Darwin   8 November [1866]1

Down

Nov. 8th

My dear William.

Taking the valuation of Claythorpe, at 13,500£ I have resolved to charge you in my Will (which I will at once have altered) 8500£; so that you will in fact receive 5000£ more than my other sons, as being eldest & more especially as Susan has bequeathed this estate to you.2 But I think I mentioned to you that Susan clearly understood and agreed with my intention of deducting the value of the estate. As 4500£ was advanced when you joined the Bank, the total deduction will be 13,000£.3 As far as I can judge, by including what Aunt Catherine has left all you children, & if Uncle Eras bequeaths us any share,4 I expect you will receive on our deaths beyond the 13,000£ about 10,000£ in addition.— When you receive your whole rent you ought to save somewhat.— I request that you will soon consult your Solicitor about your will, for Land requires special notice in a will, & deliberate carefully what you think will be best to do with all property which you may die possessed of.—

I wish to God I could leave you better off, but I have not been extravagant or wasted our property.

My dear old son | Your affect. Father | C. Darwin

This note is miserably expressed & written, but I am tired.—

1
The year is established by the reference to the Claythorpe farm (see n. 2, below).
2
Susan Elizabeth Darwin had bequeathed Claythorpe farm to William (see letter from E. A. Darwin, 11 October [1866] and n. 3).
3
CD’s will was altered as described. For the advance given to William when he became a partner in the Southampton and Hampshire Bank, see Correspondence vol. 9, letter to W. E. Darwin, 22 October [1861] and n. 3.
4
The references are to Emily Catherine Langton, who had died in February 1866 (see letter from J. D. Hooker, 4 February 1866, n. 1), and Erasmus Alvey Darwin.

Manuscript Alterations and Comments

1.1 at 13,500£] interl
1.2 in fact] interl
1.5 and agreed] ‘and’ over ‘that’
1.8 on our deaths 1.9] interl
1.10 soon] interl
1.12 carefully] interl
1.12 which you may] ‘you’ interl

Please cite as “DCP-LETT-5271,” in Ɛpsilon: The Charles Darwin Collection accessed on 5 June 2025, https://epsilon.ac.uk/view/dcp-data/letters/DCP-LETT-5271