To Richard Owen   [March 1843 – 15 May 1846]1

Down Bromley Kent

Wednesday

My dear Owen

Can you spare a Sunday to rest & air yourself in the country? If so would MrsOwen & yourself give us great pleasure of coming here next Saturday, & I hope bring with you your little Boy, whom our nurses could dress &c &c.— Pray excuse this very short notice; some arrangements about building give me no other chance at present.2 Your best plan will be to start by the 3o.20’ Croydon Train from London Bridge & stop at Sydenham Station & thence take a Fly on here, where you will arrive just at dinner time.— I have asked Falconer3 & a few others to come by the same Train.—

With our united kind remembrances to Mrs Owen, pray believe me | Very sincerely yours | C. Darwin

1
Richard and Caroline Owen’s son, referred to in the letter, was William Owen, born 6 October 1837. His birth date and the reference to dressing him would seem to make 1843 the probable date for this letter, although it is endorsed in an unidentified hand ‘about 15 May 1846’.
2
The first of several building improvements at Down began in March 1843 (see letter to W. D. Fox, [25 March 1843]).

Manuscript Alterations and Comments

1.6 Sydenham] ‘am’ over illeg
1.6 Station] interl

Please cite as “DCP-LETT-657,” in Ɛpsilon: The Charles Darwin Collection accessed on 5 June 2025, https://epsilon.ac.uk/view/dcp-data/letters/DCP-LETT-657