Ɛpsilon

From G. W. Child   7 May [1868]1

Oxford

May 7

My dear Sir

I return you many thanks for your two kind letters— I shall have no hesitation in using your testimonial   I feel that my Essays having obtained your favourable opinion is a real honour & am confident that it will be so considered by all scientific persons—2

Unless the physicians have quite lost their ancient reputation they ought not to be troubled by any considerations about “unorthodoxy” nor do I suppose they will unless indeed it comes before them in the shape of a proclivity to homeopathy—3

You must excuse my assuring you that I should no more think of printing half your testimonial and omitting the rest than I should of perpetrating any other piece of dishonesty—

I am | very truly yours | Gilbert. W. Child

C. Darwin Esq.

1
The year is established by the relationship between this letter and the letter to G. W. Child, 6 May [1868].
2
See letters to G. W. Child, [6 May 1868] and 6 May [1868] and n. 3.
3
Nomination to the professorship of botany at Oxford, for which Child was a candidate, was vested in the Royal College of Physicians (Historical register of the University of Oxford, p. 60).

Please cite as “DCP-LETT-6166,” in Ɛpsilon: The Charles Darwin Collection accessed on 5 June 2025, https://epsilon.ac.uk/view/dcp-data/letters/DCP-LETT-6166