Ɛpsilon

To G. W. Child   [6 May 1868]1

Dear Sir

I doubt whether the enclosed will be of any use, but it is all that I can say; & you can use it or not as you may think fit.2 You had better reflect that a testimonial from so unorthodox person as myself, may be of doubtful benefit.—3

As it seems to me almost ridiculous that I shd give a testimonial in regard to the science of Botany, you must excuse me in asking you not to omit the first paragraph in the accompanying note.–

Pray do not suppose from the brevity of my testimonial, that I shd not have had pleasure in writing more strongly; but every word in a testimonial ought in my opinion to be singularly weighed—

Pray believe me Dear Sir | Yours very truly | C. D

ADraftS

1
The date is established by the relationship between this letter and the letter to G. W. Child, 6 May [1868].
2
The enclosure to the final version of this letter, which is a draft, was the letter to G. W. Child, 6 May [1868].
3
Child was a candidate for the professorship of botany at Oxford University, and had asked CD for a testimonial (see letter from G. W. Child, 3 May [1868]).

Manuscript Alterations and Comments

1.1 may] above del ‘will’
1.3 doubtful] after del ‘very’
2.2 you must] after ‘I must’
2.3 the accompanying] above del ‘my letter’
3.1 testimonial] above del ‘other note’
3.2 writing] after del ‘writing’
3.2 every word] after del ‘I regard a testimonial’
3.2 in my opinion 3.3] interl

Please cite as “DCP-LETT-6163,” in Ɛpsilon: The Charles Darwin Collection accessed on 5 June 2025, https://epsilon.ac.uk/view/dcp-data/letters/DCP-LETT-6163