To Henry Lee 17 December [1871]
London
Dec 17th
My dear Sir
I must have expressed myself very stupidly. I did not mean to express any opinion on what the species was, but merely referred to the range of L. australis.1 On my return home in a few days, I suppose that I shall find the specimens & will look at them; but the subject has gone much out of my mind; & my health is so weak, & I am so overwhelmed with proof-sheets & other work, that I hope you will excuse me not investigating the specimens closely.2
My dear Sir | Yours very faithfully| Ch. Darwin
Footnotes
Bibliography
Origin 6th ed.: The origin of species by means of natural selection, or the preservation of favoured races in the struggle for life. 6th edition, with additions and corrections. By Charles Darwin. London: John Murray. 1872.
Summary
Apologises for expressing himself stupidly [see 8086a]. He did not mean to give an opinion on what the species was, but merely referred to the range of L. australis. CD will look at specimens, but "the subject has gone much out of my mind; & my health is so weak, & I am so overwhelmed with proof-sheets & other work" that he hopes to be excused if he does not investigate the specimens closely.
Letter details
- Letter no.
- DCP-LETT-8108A
- From
- Charles Robert Darwin
- To
- Henry Lee
- Sent from
- London
- Postmark
- DE 18 71
- Source of text
- Walter R. Benjamin Autographs (dealer) (May 1988)
- Physical description
- ALS 2pp
Please cite as
Darwin Correspondence Project, “Letter no. 8108A,” accessed on 20 April 2024, https://www.darwinproject.ac.uk/letter/?docId=letters/DCP-LETT-8108A.xml
Also published in The Correspondence of Charles Darwin, vol. 19
