To T. H. Huxley 23 October [1875]1
Down, | Beckenham, Kent. | Railway Station | Orpington. S.E.R.
Oct 23d
My dear Huxley
Your essay on species seems to me excellent—the whole subject in a nut.— I do not know whether I may keep it— If I may, please tell me title of book in which it in.—2 But, though I shd. like to keep it, do not hesitate to have it returned, as it a mere chance whether I shall ever again write on large & general questions. I think it will be wiser to keep to easier & special subjects, such as Insectivorous plants or Climbing Plants.— By the way I hope you got the former book.— I told Murray to send a copy to you to make the series of my books, complete; though I do not suppose you wd. care about it. & so it shall be with my Climbing Plants.3
Ever yours | C. Darwin
Footnotes
Bibliography
American cyclopædia: The American cyclopædia: a popular dictionary of general knowledge. Edited by George Ripley and Charles A. Dana. 16 vols. New York and London: D. Appleton and Company. 1873–9.
Climbing plants 2d ed.: The movements and habits of climbing plants. 2d edition. By Charles Darwin. London: John Murray. 1875.
Insectivorous plants. By Charles Darwin. London: John Murray. 1875.
Summary
Thanks for THH’s essay on species [article for an American encyclopedia].
Will probably never again write on large and general subjects; will keep to easier specific ones such as insectivorous and climbing plants.
Letter details
- Letter no.
- DCP-LETT-10214
- From
- Charles Robert Darwin
- To
- Thomas Henry Huxley
- Sent from
- Down
- Source of text
- Imperial College of Science, Technology and Medicine Archives (Huxley 5: 320)
- Physical description
- ALS 3pp
Please cite as
Darwin Correspondence Project, “Letter no. 10214,” accessed on 16 April 2024, https://www.darwinproject.ac.uk/letter/?docId=letters/DCP-LETT-10214.xml
Also published in The Correspondence of Charles Darwin, vol. 23
