From G. H. Darwin [4 February 1870]1
14 Arlington St.
Friday
My dear Father,
I have just been having a ride on the cob that I told you of.2 I shd say that he is very little smaller than Tommy; he has got a very nice walk, trot & canter & is brisk tho’ extremely quiet—& unless he turns out differently I shd think he was the very animal for you. And now for the bad side— the price is 50 guineas & they wo’nt let him out for less than a month for wh. they charge 10 guineas (to be prepaid) & to be subtracted from the purchase money. But lest this shd scare you too much from trying him—if you find he is not suitable I wd take him back to London & keep him on my own hook including share of 10-er for the rest of the month & try how riding suited me.—3 I have written a letter for you to sign (if you like) from wh. you will see the arrangements I have made provisionally for his coming down.— If the waggonette is mouldering in the yard or if the horses happen to be at Orpington Station at 5.50 tomorrow you may send to meet the 4.12 train.
Your affectionate Son | George Darwin
The address is
Mr. Allen4
70 Seymour Place
Bryanstone Square
I told Allen I wd let him know tomorrow so you must write by return.—
G. D
[Enclosure]5
I write to inform you that I wish to hire the cob, which my son rode yesterday, for 4 weeks— with the option of purchasing him during that time.— I enclose a cheque for £10.10s for wh. I beg you will be so good as to return me a receipt.
I should wish the cob to be sent by the train leaving Charing Cross at 10.30 am to Orpington Station, South Eastern R.y on Monday Feb 7th; & my groom shall meet that train at Orpington.—
I am Sir | Yours obediently
Mr. Allen
CD annotations
Footnotes
Summary
Believes he has found a quiet cob suitable for CD. Encloses a letter for CD to sign and send to the owner if he approves the idea.
Letter details
- Letter no.
- DCP-LETT-7096
- From
- George Howard Darwin
- To
- Charles Robert Darwin
- Sent from
- London, Arlington St, 14
- Source of text
- DAR 210.2: 15–16
- Physical description
- ALS 4pp, encl 2pp †
Please cite as
Darwin Correspondence Project, “Letter no. 7096,” accessed on 24 April 2024, https://www.darwinproject.ac.uk/letter/?docId=letters/DCP-LETT-7096.xml
Also published in The Correspondence of Charles Darwin, vol. 18