To G. H. Darwin   [3 April 1873]1

16. Montague St

Thursday morning

My dear George

You have been very good writing so often, & so fully about your health.—2 I am very anxious that you shd. come home as soon as you can without too much fatigue— Partly on chance of your getting worse, & partly that you may consult some one whilst we are in London.3 We return to Down this day week.— I shd. much like you to consult Dr. Andrew Clarke, who Huxley thinks so very highly of, & who has done him (Huxley) much good—by diet in chief part.4

Huxley considers him a very sensible man— He is an advocate of milk diet to a large extent.—

If you possibly can let us know by telegraph day of your arrival here, that we may have your room all ready for you.—

It is a good room viz Bessy’s, & she will go to Henrietta’s5

My dear son | Yours affectionately | Ch. Darwin

1
The date is established by the address and the reference to returning to Down. CD stayed at 16 Montague Street, London, from 15 March to 10 April 1873 (see ‘Journal’ (Appendix II)). In 1873, the Thursday before 10 April was 3 April.
2
George had been in Cannes, France, since January 1873 (letter from G. H. Darwin to H. E. Darwin, 25 January 1873 (DAR 210.2: 24)). He had written to Emma Darwin that he planned to join the family at Down after their stay in London (letter from G. H. Darwin to Emma Darwin, [6? March 1873] (DAR 210.2: 27)). He had been suffering from stomach problems.
3
According to Emma Darwin’s diary (DAR 242), George arrived in London on 5 April 1873.
5
Elizabeth Darwin was to stay with her sister Henrietta Emma Litchfield, who lived at 2 Bryanston Street, Portman Square, London.

Manuscript Alterations and Comments

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3.1 here,] interl
3.2 your] interl
3.2 you.–] above del ‘us—’
4.1 a] interl

Please cite as “DCP-LETT-8839,” in Ɛpsilon: The Charles Darwin Collection accessed on 5 June 2025, https://epsilon.ac.uk/view/dcp-data/letters/DCP-LETT-8839