To Robert Hunt 22 July [1855]
Down Farnborough Kent
July 22d
My dear Sir
I thank you most sincerely for your glass-specimens, (which will be of the greatest use to me) & for your very kind letter.1 The latter came quite in time; for I have only finished a few days ago, your very interesting volume (2d. Edit) on Light.—2 The chapter on the relation of light & actinism towards plants is most suggestive,3 & I had determined on trying the 3 viz blue, red & yellow, which you have sent me. But I want extremely to beg one other favour, viz where can I get such glasses.? I have not the least idea where to try?
Do you know with what the Blue & Red (& yellow) (which I think will be the most valuable to me) are coloured; as this, perhaps, would be an aid in getting the right sorts; for I infer from what you say, that the mere colour is not always a safe guide in regard to the power of the glass in intercepting the radiant powers.
After I have been to some glass place, would you permit me to show you any specimens, the manufacturer may have by them? I shall be in London on 7th, 8th & 9th of August, & with your permission will call & show you any glass which I could meet with. If you will send me a line about glass manufacturers you will complete your kindness, for which I am really very much obliged to you.
Pray believe me | My dear Sir | Your’s sincerely | Charles Darwin
Footnotes
Bibliography
Hunt, Robert. 1854. Researches on light in its chemical relations; embracing a consideration of all the photographic processes. 2d ed. London.
Summary
Mentions RH’s book on light [Researches on light in its chemical relations, 2d ed. (1854)]. Asks about coloured glass used in experiments on plants.
Letter details
- Letter no.
- DCP-LETT-1727
- From
- Charles Robert Darwin
- To
- Robert Hunt
- Sent from
- Down
- Source of text
- American Philosophical Society (Mss.B.D25.)
- Physical description
- ALS 4pp
Please cite as
Darwin Correspondence Project, “Letter no. 1727,” accessed on 23 April 2024, https://www.darwinproject.ac.uk/letter/?docId=letters/DCP-LETT-1727.xml
Also published in The Correspondence of Charles Darwin, vol. 5