Ɛpsilon

To A. D. Kindermann   [27 March 1871]1

Sir

I am writing an Essay on the Ex. of the emotions in man & the lower animals.—2 Miss Ludwig3 procured for me several of your photographs of young children, which are quite excellent. I write now to know whether you will grant me the favour to allow me to have 2 or 3 copied & engraved on wood for the sake of illustrating my book.— I should of course have printed beneath each, “copied from a photograph by M. A. Kindermann of Hamburgh.”4

I sent a message through Miss L that I shd be very glad if you could make for me a photograph of an infant, only a month or two old, whilst screaming with the eyes firmly closed, adjusting the focus for the eyes, so as to show the wrinkles round them, & permit me to have it engraved—

Hoping that you will grant me these favours, & be so kind as to send an early answer, I remain, Sir

Your obed servt | Ch. Darwin

ADraftS

1
The date is established by a note in an unknown hand on the letter, ‘March 27/71 Kindermann’.
2
Expression.
3
Miss Ludwig could be either Camilla Ludwig or her sister, Louisa Ludwig, both former governesses with the Darwin family.
4
In Expression, plate 1, facing p. 148, CD gives two photographs of crying babies, credited on p. 148 n. 1 to Kindermann. Photographs with Kindermann’s studio stamp on the back are in DAR 53.1: C55–60; C116–20; C122–3; C127.

Manuscript Alterations and Comments

1.1 procured] after del illeg
1.2 several] after del 2 words illeg
1.2 of your] interl
1.3 excellent.] point after del comma
1.3 I write] after del ‘&’
1.4 copied &] interl
1.5 have] interl
2.1 through Miss L] interl
2.1 if] after del illeg
2.2 infant] after del ‘quite young’
2.2 only … old] interl
2.3 round them] interl
3.1 early] above del illeg
3.2 I remain] after del illeg

Please cite as “DCP-LETT-7629,” in Ɛpsilon: The Charles Darwin Collection accessed on 5 June 2025, https://epsilon.ac.uk/view/dcp-data/letters/DCP-LETT-7629