WCP1915

Letter (WCP1915.1805)

[1]1

Down.

Bromley.

Kent. S.E.

Feb[.] 2nd [1869]2

My dear Wallace

I must have expressed myself atrociously; I meant to say exactly the reverse of what you have understood. F. Jenkins [sic]3 argued in N[orth]. Brit[ish]. R[eview]. against single variations ever being perpetuated & has convinced me, though not in quite so broad a manner as here put. — I always thought individual differences more important, but I was blind & thought that [2] [p. 169] single variations might be preserved much oftener than I now see is possible or probable. — I mentioned this in my former note merely because I believed that you had come to [a] similar conclusion, & I like much to be in accord with you. — I believe I was mainly deceived by single variations offering such simple illustrations, as when man selects. —

We heartily congratulate you on the birth of your little daughter. —4

Yours very sincerely | C. Darwin [signature]

1
Page 1 is numbered 168 in pencil in the upper right-hand corner of the page by the repository.
2
See WCP1914.4079, ARW to Darwin, Jan. 30, 1869.
3
Jenkin, Henry Charles Fleeming (1833-1885). Scottish-born British engineer. Jenkin reviewed Darwin's The Origin of Species in The North British Review, June 1867, 4: 277-318. See WCP1913.1803, Darwin to ARW Jan. 22 [1869].
4
Wallace, Violet Isabel (1869-1945).

Editorial information

Status: Edited (but not proofed) transcription [Letter (WCP1915.1805)]

For more information about the transcriptions and metadata, see https://wallaceletters.myspecies.info/content/epsilon

Revision history

Transcribed by Darwin Correspondence Project [2012-11-19] Transcription checked by Lucas, Paula [2019-12-20]

Published letter (WCP1915.6002)

[1] [p. 234]

Down, Bromley, Kent, S.E. February 2, 1869.

My dear Wallace, — I must have expressed myself atrociously; I meant to say exactly the reverse of what you have understood. F. Jenkin argued in the North British Review1 against single variations ever being perpetuated, and has convinced me, though not in quite so broad a manner as here put. I always thought individual differences more important, but I was blind and thought that single variations might be preserved much oftener than I now see is possible or probable. I mentioned this in my former note merely because I believed that you had come to similar [2] conclusions, and I like much to be in accord with you. I believe I was mainly deceived by single variations offering such simple illustrations, as when man selects.

We heartily congratulate you on the birth of your little daughter. — Yours very sincerely, C. DARWIN.

1
A footnote here reads: "June, 1867."

Editorial information

Status: Draft transcription [Published letter (WCP1915.6002)]

For more information about the transcriptions and metadata, see https://wallaceletters.myspecies.info/content/epsilon

Revision history

Transcribed by Congerton, John [2019-12-17]

Please cite as “WCP1915,” in Beccaloni, G. W. (ed.), Ɛpsilon: The Alfred Russel Wallace Collection accessed on 18 April 2024, https://epsilon.ac.uk/view/wallace/letters/WCP1915