Ɛpsilon

To T. R. R. Stebbing   18 March [1871]1

Down. | Beckenham | Kent. S.E.

March 18th

My dear Sir

I am very much obliged for the present of your Essays.2 I am glad that you have published them in a book, as I have no doubt from your position & from their intrinsic merits that they will be read & do much good.— I read some time ago several of them, which you kindly sent me & will soon read the remainder.—3 You know how highly I estimated those which I read, & how I honour your boldness in delivering & publishing them. Your Preface is most flattering—no, I will not use that word—most gratifying to me, & I thank you cordially for your kindly feelings towards me.

Pray believe me | yours sincerely obliged | Ch. Darwin

P.S. If you do not possess a copy of my “Descent of Man &c”, & would like to have a copy, it would give great pleasure to send you one immediately.—4

1
The year is established by the reference to Stebbing’s essays (see n. 2, below).
2
CD refers to Essays on Darwinism (Stebbing 1871). CD’s copy is in the Darwin Library–Down House.
3
CD had earlier received a copy of Stebbing’s essay, Darwinism (Stebbing 1869; see Correspondence vol. 17, letter to T. R. R. Stebbing, 3 March 1869). CD also received a copy of Darwinism and the Noachian flood (Stebbing 1870). CD’s copies are in the Darwin Pamphlet Collection–CUL.
4
Stebbing’s name appears on the verso of CD’s presentation list for Descent (see Correspondence vol. 19, Appendix IV).

Manuscript Alterations and Comments

0.1 Beckenham] before del ‘Bromley.’

Please cite as “DCP-LETT-7594,” in Ɛpsilon: The Charles Darwin Collection accessed on 5 June 2025, https://epsilon.ac.uk/view/dcp-data/letters/DCP-LETT-7594