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To B. J. Sulivan   15 January [1867]1

Down Bromley | Kent.

Jan 15

My dear Sulivan

I am extremely much obliged to you for getting me Mr Sterling’s answers. They are of much interest to me. I had quite forgotten that I had previously sent nearly the same questions:2 the answer about the breeding of the dogs comes in very useful just now that I am writing upon domestic animals.3 Many thanks also about the white cattle.4

I am very glad you were so kind as to call on my son William; he does not have many holidays, but if he cd spare the time I am sure he wd enjoy seeing you at Bournemouth.5

My dear Sulivan, | yours very sincerely | Ch. Darwin

Footnotes

1
The year is established by the relationship between this letter and the letter from B. J. Sulivan, 11 January 1867.
2
In his letter of 11 January 1867, Sulivan enclosed responses from Thomas Bridges regarding the mannerisms and facial expressions of Fuegians, conveyed by Waite Hockin Stirling; these responses are published in Correspondence vol. 8, letter from Thomas Bridges, [October 1860 or after]. CD cited information from Bridges at least four times in Expression, and in Descent 2: 351 n. For the queries that CD had forgotten he had sent, see Correspondence vol. 8, letter to Thomas Bridges, 6 January 1860; see also, this volume, letter from B. J. Sulivan, 11 January 1867 and nn. 2 and 3. The latest list of queries that CD sent to Sulivan has not been found.
3
The section on breeding dogs is in a missing section of Bridges’s reply (see Correspondence vol. 8, letter from Thomas Bridges, [October 1860 or after]); however, see Variation 2: 207 for the information that Bridges sent. In his letter, Bridges also wrote that, to make their dogs lighter, the Fuegians cut off their tails while they were puppies; CD mentioned the remark in Variation 1: 39.

Bibliography

Correspondence: The correspondence of Charles Darwin. Edited by Frederick Burkhardt et al. 29 vols to date. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. 1985–.

Descent: The descent of man, and selection in relation to sex. By Charles Darwin. 2 vols. London: John Murray. 1871.

Expression: The expression of the emotions in man and animals. By Charles Darwin. London: John Murray. 1872.

Variation: The variation of animals and plants under domestication. By Charles Darwin. 2 vols. London: John Murray. 1868.

Summary

Thanks BJS for W. H. Stirling’s answers [to queries about expression]

and for information on cattle and breeding of dogs.

Letter details

Letter no.
DCP-LETT-5365
From
Charles Robert Darwin
To
Bartholomew James Sulivan
Sent from
Down
Source of text
Sulivan family (private collection)
Physical description
LS 2pp

Please cite as

Darwin Correspondence Project, “Letter no. 5365,” accessed on 19 April 2024, https://www.darwinproject.ac.uk/letter/?docId=letters/DCP-LETT-5365.xml

Also published in The Correspondence of Charles Darwin, vol. 15

letter

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