Darwin Correspondence Project

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Monday 15th

Dear Sir John Lubbock

I received your note yesterday, & this morning after breakfast I called on Mr Baugh. I am extremely sorry to say that I have not been of slightest use, for he has actually already called at the office of the Commissioners & laid the case before them! I think I ought, also, to tell you that Mr Baugh said if the Commissioners would not take up the case, as being out of their jurisdiction he would put it in a Court of Equity, & that he had had the case laid before some lawyer, who thought it a proper one for such Court, & that owing to the exclusion of the Clergy (as I understood) he (the lawyer) thought all the interest would have to be refunded.—

I endeavoured to oppose all this by urging the great loss to the Fund; but he said that probably he shd (in such case) call a vestry at Farnborough, lay the whole correspondence before it, & endeavour & get up a subscription for law-expences.— I hinted that were you forced to give way, you had said that you could soon recover by withholding what you now do for the parishioners of Farnborough. I said nothing about the Archbishop.— But it is no use saying or doing anything.— He seems very determined, even more than before, & reiterated that he felt himself bound to act for the good of his Parish.—

I wish I could have been of any assistance, and | Pray believe me | Yours very sincerely | Charles Darwin

I have taken a House (28 York Place Baker St) for a month, & we all move on Thursday morning; I hope to meet your son at some of the Scientific Soc.s which I intend to attend.