Ɛpsilon

From W. W. Reade   14 March 1872

11 St. Mary Abbot’s Terrace | Kensington

March 14.—72

My dear Sir

It will be of course a great treat for me to have another chat with you;1 only, as I said before, I have scruples about invading your time when your health allows you to give only a part of it to conversation & there are so many others whom you have known longer & better than myself. However I will keep myself clear for the next week, and if you find that you have a really open day & feel yourself strong please send me a card mentioning the day, & I will be with you at 1 oclock. I can then in the course of two or three minutes give you if you like, what I have picked up about dark-haired men—2

Many thanks for your kind intention of reading my book as soon as it is out—but when I send it I will direct your attention to the parts which relate to Darwinism. The greater part of the book is purely historical.3

I remain | yours very truly | Winwood Reade

1
The letter containing CD’s invitation to Reade has not been found. CD was in London from 21 February to 16 March 1872 (CD’s ‘Journal’ (Appendix II)). Reade had previously visited Down at the end of January 1871 (Emma Darwin’s diary (DAR 242)).
3
Part of the last chapter of Martyrdom of man (Reade 1872, pp. 395–468) dealt with the evolution of life and the origin and early history of humans.

Please cite as “DCP-LETT-8242,” in Ɛpsilon: The Charles Darwin Collection accessed on 5 June 2025, https://epsilon.ac.uk/view/dcp-data/letters/DCP-LETT-8242