Ɛpsilon

To W. R. S. Ralston   24 April [1875]1

Down, | Beckenham, Kent.

April 24th

Dear Sir

I hope that you will excuse, on the grounds of your friendship with the Litchfields2 my begging a favour of you.— I have received from Russia a bulky Diploma & enclosed letter, of neither of which can I read a word.—3 I shd be very sorry to be so ungracious as not to return my thanks.

Will you, therefore, be so very kind as, not to translate the letter, but just tell me what the Diploma is, & who sends it, & whence it comes.—

Hoping that you will excuse me, I remain | Dear Sir | Yours faithfully | Ch. Darwin

1
The year is established by the relationship between this letter and the letter from W. R. S. Ralston, 26 April 1875.
2
Henrietta Emma and Richard Buckley Litchfield.
3
The diploma is in DAR 229: 41 (see Appendix III); the letter has not been found.

Manuscript Alterations and Comments

0.1 Kent.] before del ‘Railway Station | Orpington. S.E.R.’
1.2 bulky] interl
1.3 enclosed] interl

Please cite as “DCP-LETT-9947,” in Ɛpsilon: The Charles Darwin Collection accessed on 5 June 2025, https://epsilon.ac.uk/view/dcp-data/letters/DCP-LETT-9947