WCP828

Letter (WCP828.1000)

[1]

DOWN,

BECKENHAM, KENT.

RAILWAY STATION

ORPINGTON. S.E.R.

Nov- 23d 1881

My dear Wallace

Mrs. Lyell1 has sent me a copy of Lyell’s Life;2 but as I did not in the least expect this, I have ordered a copy, which will arrive in a few days. — Accordingly I wrote to Mrs. Lyell, saying that no doubt there were many friends of Lyell, to [2] whom she had found it impossible to send copies, & I asked her whom she would prefer that I shd send my superfluous copy in her name, & she answered that she particularly wished it to go to you. — I write now [3] to know whether the postal address is the best for a Railway parcel, as the book is too heavy for the post. — Please send answer by return of Post. I hope that you & all of yours are well & prosperous. —

In Haste to catch the postman

Yours vy sincerely| Ch. Darwin3 [signature]

1
Lyell (née Horner), Katherine Murray (1817-1915). Wife of Charles Lyell’s brother Henry. British botanist, author of an early book on the worldwide distribution of ferns, and editor of volumes of the correspondence of several of the era's notable scientists.
2
Lyell, Katharine Murray, ed. 1881. Life, letters and journals of Sir Charles Lyell, Bart. 2 vols. London: John Murray. (DCP)
3
Darwin, Charles Robert (1809-1882). British naturalist, geologist and author, notably of On the Origin of Species (1859).

Editorial information

Status: Draft transcription [Letter (WCP828.1000)]

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

Revision history

Transcribed by Lord, Annette [2012-12-17] Transcription checked by Catchpole, Caroline [2013-01-15] Transcription checked by Chua, Christine [2024-12-24]

Please cite as “WCP828,” in Beccaloni, G. W. (ed.), Ɛpsilon: The Alfred Russel Wallace Collection accessed on 5 June 2025, https://epsilon.ac.uk/view/wallace/letters/WCP828