From George Cupples   17 September 1870

The Cottage, | Guard Bridge | Fifeshire. N.B.

Septr. 17/70—

My Dear Mr Darwin,

I write a single line to say that your Deerhound puppy will be ready at the end of this month. He is the best of the litter—and all are capital specimens.1

I am sorry he is not grey— he is fawn or cream colour, with black muzzle and ears, similar to one of mine in Kent (Longfield Court, Dartford),2 which has turned out a splendid animal. The mother of yours is a fine bitch—the father is descended from Sir Walter Scott’s celebrated “Maida”, and is son of the 1st. prize dog at two successive National Shows (Birmingham.)3

He would come in a hamper by rail—and I would send full directions beforehand for management &c.

I hope you are tolerably well and in full ability to go on, also to take interest in what is astir scientifically & otherwise

Ever truly yours George Cupples

To | Charles Darwin, Esqr.

1
Cupples had previously written about the deer-hound puppy that he promised to breed and rear for CD in his letter of 29 April 1870.
2
Longfield is a village about three miles south-east of Dartford, in Kent.
3
On the Birmingham dog shows, see F. Jackson 1990, pp. 41–8. Scott’s dog, Maida, was etched by the famous animal painter Edward Landseer (Royal Academy of Arts, London).

Please cite as “DCP-LETT-7321,” in Ɛpsilon: The Charles Darwin Collection accessed on 5 June 2025, https://epsilon.ac.uk/view/dcp-data/letters/DCP-LETT-7321