Ɛpsilon

To Violetta Galton   12 July [1871]1

Down, | Beckenham, Kent.

July 12th

My dear Aunt

I am very much obliged to you for your great kindness in writing to me in your own hand. My sons were no doubt deceived & the picture-seller affixed the name of a celebrated man to the picture for the sake of getting his price.—2

Your note is a wonderful proof how well some few people in this world can write & express themselves at an advanced age.3 It is enough to make one not fear so much the advance of age, as I often do, though you must think me quite a youth!—

With my best thanks, pray believe me with much respect | Your affectionate nephew | Charles Darwin

1
The year is established by the printed stationery, with the address on the right, a form that CD used from May 1871 until January 1872.
2
Galton’s letter to CD has not been found, and nothing more is known about the incident she was writing about.
3
Galton was 88 years old.

Please cite as “DCP-LETT-7860,” in Ɛpsilon: The Charles Darwin Collection accessed on 5 June 2025, https://epsilon.ac.uk/view/dcp-data/letters/DCP-LETT-7860