Ɛpsilon

From E. M. Bonham-Carter to Emma Darwin?1   [2–5 June 1871]2

Will you tell Mr Darwin that Helmholtz is not come to England after all.3 Also as far as I have observed as yet I think Toss does not draw up his lips in the act of barking. He is just now at the Dog Show at the Crystal P. so I have not got him—4 I hope the travellers are having a good time & that this weather will go on a little

Ever yr affecate | Elinor MBC.

I hope you will see Frances5

CD annotations

1.1 Will … all.] crossed pencil
1.1 Also] after opening square bracket pencil
1
The recipient is conjectured on the basis of the reference to ‘Mr Darwin’. When writing to Henrietta Emma Darwin, Bonham-Carter typically refers to CD as ‘your father’ and writes more informally.
2
The date is established by the relationship between this letter and the letter from E. M. Bonham-Carter to H. E. Darwin, [23 June 1871], and by the reference to the Crystal Palace dog show (see n. 4, below).
3
In late January 1871, Hermann von Helmholtz had been invited by William Thomson on behalf of Cambridge University to accept the new professorship of experimental physics and directorship of the Cavendish Laboratory. Helmholtz turned down the offer, having accepted a position in Berlin (Cahan 2006, p. 1113).
4
The second Grand National Exhibition of sporting and other dogs took place from 2 to 5 June 1871 at the Crystal Palace, Sydenham (Lane 1902, p. 292).
5
Frances has not been identified. CD and Emma were in London from 24 to 30 June 1871 (see ‘Journal’ (Appendix II)).

Please cite as “DCP-LETT-7786,” in Ɛpsilon: The Charles Darwin Collection accessed on 5 June 2025, https://epsilon.ac.uk/view/dcp-data/letters/DCP-LETT-7786