To John Lubbock   26 February [1870]1

Down. | Beckenham. | Kent. S.E.

Febr 26

My dear Lubbock

Although you will be overwhelmed with congratulations I must write to say how heartily I rejoice over your success. Your speech at Maidstone struck me as quite excellent, & I fully expect to see you a great man in Parliament, as you are in Science.2 But even in the moment of triumph I must let one little groan escape me for poor deserted Science. Anyhow I know that you will always love your first-born child, & not despise her for the sake of gaudy Politicks—

I wrote to ask you a question about savages & suicide, before I had heard of Maidstone; otherwise of course I wd not have troubled you.3 If in the course of a few weeks, you can inform me, I shd. be glad, but the point is not very important for me.

Once again I do most sincerely congratulate you & especially Lady Lubbock4

Ever most truly yours | Ch. Darwin

1
The year is established by the references to Lubbock’s election as MP for Maidstone (see n. 2, below).
2
The Times, 26 February 1870, p. 8, announced Lubbock’s election as MP for Maidstone, and gave an account of his speech.
3
CD’s query has not been found.

Manuscript Alterations and Comments

0.1 Beckenham] before del ‘Bromley’
2.1 you.] interl

Please cite as “DCP-LETT-7117,” in Ɛpsilon: The Charles Darwin Collection accessed on 5 June 2025, https://epsilon.ac.uk/view/dcp-data/letters/DCP-LETT-7117