Ɛpsilon

To J. D. Hague   3 April [1873]1

Down, Beckenham, Kent [16 Montague Street, London]

April 3rd

My dear Sir

I thank you for your very kind note and for the account of the ants.2 The case is quite new to me and very interesting. I hope much that I have not done wrong, but I have sent your clear account to “Nature”, our best scientific periodical, as I thought it would be a great pity for no one except myself to read it.3 Of course I do not know whether it will be inserted, as that will partly depend on how much matter is received; but I expect to see it printed. Anyhow I shall not forget the curious case. My sons often speak with great pleasure of the kindness which they received from you and others, and of their extreme enjoyment in seeing your wonderful country.4 The eldest of the two is now in France and is very much out of health.5

With my best thanks and cordial remembrance6 I remain | My dear Sir | Yours very sincerely | Ch. Darwin

Copy

1
The year is established by the relationship between this letter and the letter from J. D. Hague, 26 February 1873.
3
See second letter to Nature, [before 3 April 1873]. CD discussed the ability of ants to recognise each other in Descent 1: 365.
4
George Howard Darwin and Francis Darwin had visited Hague while on their tour of the United States in 1871 (see Correspondence vol. 19).
6
Hague had met CD in London in February 1871 (Hague 1884, p. 759).

Please cite as “DCP-LETT-8840,” in Ɛpsilon: The Charles Darwin Collection accessed on 5 June 2025, https://epsilon.ac.uk/view/dcp-data/letters/DCP-LETT-8840