Ɛpsilon

From G. H. Darwin   [23 February 1869]1

Trin. Coll.

Tuesday.

My dear Father,

I enclose Croll’s letter.2 Altho’ Miller told me that Delaunay’s paper was translated in the Geolog. magazine, yet when I went to the Phil. Soc. rooms, I cd find no such Mag. & therefore I am up a tree again.3

I want to know whether you will have the 70£, wh. wd naturally be put to my acct. at the bank on the 1st of Ap., put to my acct. now, as I shall want to take 50 or 60£ to Paris. I am going to write to St. Barbe to find out the best way to take it.4 Frank5 has gone up to town to be teethed today, but I suppose is coming back this evening. I have received a letter from Mr. Hamilton asking me to dinner on the 4th. to meet Hollams.6

I shall come home on Tuesday & probably start for Paris on Friday7

Your affectionate Son | G H Darwin

CD annotations

Top of letter: ‘Papa has written to Bank to put the 70£ to your account & 12£.10 for Thrale’8 pencil, del pencil; ‘Emma— Had you not better off Ruck’9 pencil
1
The date is established by the relationship between this letter and the letter from G. H. Darwin, 14 February 1869, by the reference to a dinner engagement with Alfred Douglas Hamilton, and by an entry in CD’s bank account for 25 February 1869 (see nn. 4, 6, and 7, below). In 1869, the Tuesday before 25 February was 23 February.
3
George was trying to find a translation of a paper by Charles Eugène Delaunay (see letter from G. H. Darwin, 6 February 1869 and n. 1). Geological Magazine was first published in 1864. George also refers to the Cambridge Philosophical Society.
4
CD recorded a payment of £70 to George on 25 February 1869 (CD’s Account books–banking account (Down House MS)). Mr St Barbe has not been further identified.
6
In his letter of 14 February 1869, George had mentioned that Hamilton would introduce him to John Hollams either that week or just before his departure for Paris.
7
In 1869, 4 March was a Thursday, so George must have returned to Down on 2 March and left for Paris on 5 March.
8
In addition to the £70 paid to George, CD recorded a payment of £12 10s for Thrale ‘per George’ (CD’s Account books–banking account (Down House MS)). Thrale was evidently a horse-dealer (DAR 210.2: 4, DAR 239.23: 1.58), but has not been further identified.
9
The reference is probably to Richard Matthews Ruck, who was a student at the Royal Military Academy, Woolwich, where Leonard Darwin was also a student.

Please cite as “DCP-LETT-6636,” in Ɛpsilon: The Charles Darwin Collection accessed on 5 June 2025, https://epsilon.ac.uk/view/dcp-data/letters/DCP-LETT-6636