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From James Paget   29 January 1868

1, Harewood Place, | Hanover Square. | London W.

Jany. 29. 1868

My dear Darwin

I thank you, with all my heart, for sending me your book—1 I shall refresh and teach myself with it whenever I can get a bit of time clear from the day’s work—

I expect to be made even more than I am now ashamed of my ignorance, (and I fear I may add that of my profession too) on the influence of inheritance on the variations and mixtures of disease—2 But I hope that my deeper shame will be the beginning of deeper knowledge—

Let me congratulate you on your son’s great success at Cambridge3   I can hardly imagine a greater happiness for you: and I wish you many years of enjoyment of a career worthy of this first great step—

Always, my dear Darwin, | sincerely your’s | James Paget.

Charles Darwin Esqre.

1
The reference is to Variation. Paget’s name appears on the presentation list for the book (see Correspondence vol. 16, Appendix IV).
2
Paget supplied CD with information on inherited diseases and other topics (see Correspondence vols. 7 and 11, and Variation).
3
George Howard Darwin was second in the final examination for the mathematical tripos at Cambridge (Cambridge University calendar 1868).

Please cite as “DCP-LETT-5812,” in Ɛpsilon: The Charles Darwin Collection accessed on 5 June 2025, https://epsilon.ac.uk/view/dcp-data/letters/DCP-LETT-5812