Ɛpsilon

To G. H. Darwin   [21 April 1874]1

6 B. St.2

Tuesday

My dear George

Please bring M.S & sheets when you come on Friday—3 One of my sentences seems giberish & I cannot tell about it till I see context. Almost every other of your corrections seem very good. I am heartily glad that you have finished the main part of the horrid job.— I saw Murray today & he hopes much that there will be few corrections to be paid for & I have assured him that we will alter nothing for merely improving style.4 He is much inclined for double column like Motley’s History & is getting estimates of book in this type & in one cheap volume.—5

I am very much pleased that you approve of the book as a whole, & am very far from thinking you “bumptuous”.—6

When you are here I want much to hear more about the terrible cousin affair.7 Perhaps you now take too low a view: do not be in too great a hurry in deciding. I do hope you will keep decently well.

Your affect. Father | C. Darwin

1
The date is established by the relationship between this letter and the letter from G. H. Darwin, 20 April 1874. In 1874, the first Tuesday following 20 April was 21 April.
2
CD was staying at 2 Bryanston Street, Portman Square, London, the home of Richard Buckley and Henrietta Emma Litchfield. An unknown hand has corrected ‘6’ to ‘2’ in the letter.
3
George was correcting the proofs of Descent 2d ed.; he mentioned that he would visit CD in London in his letter of 20 April 1874.
4
John Murray was CD’s publisher.
5
CD refers to Motley 1873 (see letter to John Murray, 12 April 1874 and n. 3).
7
George had been compiling statistics on cousin marriage (see letters from G. H. Darwin, 18 April 1874 and 20 April 1874).

Manuscript Alterations and Comments

0.1 St.] before del ‘Down, | Beckenham, Kent.’
1.1 & sheets] interl
1.7 cheap] interl

Please cite as “DCP-LETT-9423,” in Ɛpsilon: The Charles Darwin Collection accessed on 5 June 2025, https://epsilon.ac.uk/view/dcp-data/letters/DCP-LETT-9423