Ɛpsilon

To G. H. Darwin   3 October [1873]1

Down, | Beckenham, Kent.

Oct 3d

My dear George

Your letter seems to me excellent & it was very good of you to take so much trouble. I doubt much whether a second letter is worth publishing on so hypothetical an assumption.2 In fact I ought not to have written the latter part of the article, but I did not then see how I could first test it.3 But as it is published, you may say it ought to be made clear. Do as you Diliberately think best. But I shd not like to publish even a son’s letter as my own. You could by altering a few words in the beginning, make the whole your own.— You cd. say that “My Father finds … & he has asked me to give a fuller explanation”,— or some such words.—

I have altered a few words & added a few. But I again say think before you send it. I am sure, however, that the letter is very good & clear. You cd. ask for proof to be sent to Trin. Coll..4

Yours affectionately | Ch. Darwin

Your last & previous notes interested us greatly about yourself & Edmund L.—5

1
The year is established by the reference to CD’s and George’s articles in Nature (see n. 3, below).
2
See letter from G. H. Darwin, [before 3 October 1873]. CD had published a letter in Nature, 25 September 1873, pp. 431–2, headed ‘On the males and complemental males of certain cirripedes, and on rudimentary structures’ (see letter to Nature, 20 September [1873]). George had drafted a clarification of CD’s remarks on variation in organs (see letter to Nature from G. H. Darwin, 4 October [1873]); George’s letter was published in the issue of 16 October 1873.
3
The second part of CD’s letter in Nature (see n. 2, above) discussed how useless organs might diminish and gradually disappear.
4
George took up residence at Trinity College in October 1873 (ODNB).
5
Both George and his cousin Edmund Langton had consulted Andrew Clark about their health (see letter from G. H. Darwin, [before 3 October 1873]).

Manuscript Alterations and Comments

1.3 of the article,] interl
1.5 even a son’s letter 1.6] above del ‘it’
1.7 has] interl
4.1 & previous] interl

Please cite as “DCP-LETT-9085,” in Ɛpsilon: The Charles Darwin Collection accessed on 5 June 2025, https://epsilon.ac.uk/view/dcp-data/letters/DCP-LETT-9085