Ɛpsilon

To Henry Johnson   25 April [1871?]1

Down. | Beckenham | Kent. S.E.

April 25

Dear Johnson

I am very sorry to hear of the death of your daughter:2 I know from old experience how bitter a loss it is & how irreparable it long appears.—3 Many thanks for your kindness in writing to me about the intelligence of your Dog: I have myself seen closely analogous behaviour.—

With my best wishes for your restored peace of mind | Pray believe me | Yours very sincerely | Ch. Darwin

1
The year is conjectured from the reference to Laura Johnson’s death (see n. 2, below).
2
CD probably refers to Laura Johnson. Henry Johnson was an old Shropshire friend of CD; no letter from Henry Johnson has been found. Laura Johnson died in 1871 (BMD (Death index).)
3
CD refers to the death of his own daughter, Anne Elizabeth Darwin, in 1851 (see Correspondence vol. 5).

Manuscript Alterations and Comments

0.1 Beckenham] before del ‘Bromley.’

Please cite as “DCP-LETT-7718,” in Ɛpsilon: The Charles Darwin Collection accessed on 5 June 2025, https://epsilon.ac.uk/view/dcp-data/letters/DCP-LETT-7718