Ɛpsilon

To P. F. Perfil’eva   11 March 1874

Down. | Beckenham. Kent.

Mar 11. 1874.

Madam

I have the pleasure to enclose a photograph which you do me the honour to wish to possess.1

Bull-dogs in England are generally considered stupid; but you will be glad to hear that two breeders have assured me that your favourites are remarkably intelligent and faithful.2

I have the honour to remain your obedient Servant | Charles Darwin.

Copy

2
Perfil’eva had referred to the intelligence of bulldogs bred in Russia (see letter from P. F. Perfil’eva, 22 February 1874). The breeders to whom CD refers have not been identified. Selecting for gentleness and loyalty had become a priority among British bulldog breeders, who wished to maintain the breed following its sharp decline after the ban on bull-baiting in 1835 (Farman 1899, pp. 1–18); it was also held that the bulldog’s mental qualities might be highly cultivated (ibid., p. 9).

Please cite as “DCP-LETT-9353,” in Ɛpsilon: The Charles Darwin Collection accessed on 5 June 2025, https://epsilon.ac.uk/view/dcp-data/letters/DCP-LETT-9353