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Darwin Correspondence Project

From Emma Darwin to T. G. Appleton   28 June [1862]1

Down. | Bromley. | Kent. S.E.

June 28.

My dear Mr Appleton

It was very pleasant to find ourselves so kindly remembered by you at such a distance of time & Mr Darwin begs me to thank you most cordially for the beautiful book—2 (He has not at all lost his taste for maple sugar any more than the children have).3 I am writing for him as he is very unwell at present but he begs me to say that the book is one of the most beautiful specimens of works of Nat. History he has ever seen.

I wish we could have had the pleasure of seeing your brother here but Mr Darwin has been too unwell to see any visitors.4

We shall rejoice at the termination of the war & if we cannot hope to see Slavery abolished I think it must at all events be prevented from Spreading. If you shd be coming to England I hope you will let us know as we should be so glad to see you again. Mr Darwin begs to be remembered to you. He has the pleasantest recollection of the days you spent here5

very truly yours | E. Darwin

Footnotes

The year is established by the reference to William Sumner Appleton’s visit to Britain (see n. 4, below).
The book referred to has not been identified. Appleton visited Down House in October 1849 in company with his sister, Mary, the wife of Emma Darwin’s cousin, Robert Mackintosh (Emma Darwin’s diary (DAR 242)).
Appleton had sent a gift of maple sugar to the Darwin family (see letter from T. G. Appleton, 24 April [1862]).
Appleton’s half-brother, William Sumner Appleton, spent the summer of 1862 in Britain pursuing antiquarian and historical interests (see letter from T. G. Appleton, 24 April [1862]).
See n. 2, above.

Summary

CD too ill to write.

He thanks Appleton for most beautiful work of natural history he has ever seen.

Letter details

Letter no.
DCP-LETT-3626
From
Emma Wedgwood/Emma Darwin
To
Thomas Gold Appleton
Sent from
Down
Source of text
James G. Zimmer (private collection)
Physical description
ALS 4pp

Please cite as

Darwin Correspondence Project, “Letter no. 3626,” accessed on 19 March 2024, https://www.darwinproject.ac.uk/letter/?docId=letters/DCP-LETT-3626.xml

Also published in The Correspondence of Charles Darwin, vol. 10

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