Ɛpsilon

To [Walter Besant?]   10 January [1872–4]1

Down, | Beckenham, Kent.

Jan 10.

Mr C. Darwin presents his compliments to Mr Besant & regrets that the state of his health will prevent his having the honour of accepting his very kind invitation.2

L

1
The year range is established by the headed notepaper, which is of a sort that CD used between 1872 and 1874. Walter Besant, a literary man in London and secretary of the Palestine Exploration Fund, is suggested as a possible recipient.
2
The occasion of the invitation has not been identified; no other evidence of contact with a Mr Besant has been found.

Please cite as “DCP-LETT-9236F,” in Ɛpsilon: The Charles Darwin Collection accessed on 5 June 2025, https://epsilon.ac.uk/view/dcp-data/letters/DCP-LETT-9236F