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Darwin Correspondence Project

From M. C. Stanley   16 October 1881

Knowsley, | Prescot.

16 Oct /81.

Dear Mr Darwin

I am much obliged & greatly flattered by your kind thought of me. I have read your book with the greatest interest.1 You said once, laughing,—that you were finding that “Worms” could revolutionise the world;— you have succeeded in proving the greatness of their power.

I wonder how you fared at Down in the gale of Friday! We felt here as if we might be swept away.2 Seventy trees came down in an hour, people could not keep their feet. The storm was preceded by some minutes perhaps 14 hour of perfect stillness—unusual stillness at 5. a.m. on Friday; the watchmen & others described “the roar as coming from the S.W for 3 or 4 minutes & then the wind burst in a hurricane”.

I hear of great havoc at Holwood.3

Will you give my kindest regards to Mrs Darwin & believe me | Yrs very sincerely | M C Derby.

Footnotes

Stanley received a copy of Earthworms.
A report of the damage caused by the gale that struck Great Britain on 14 October 1881 was published in The Times, 15 October 1881, p. 5. The effects of the storm were worse further north, and while the effects were severe in Liverpool, near to where Stanley lived, no serious damage was reported near CD’s home in Kent.
Holwood estate, near Keston, Kent, was a few miles north of CD’s home at Down.

Bibliography

Earthworms: The formation of vegetable mould through the action of worms: with observations on their habits. By Charles Darwin. London: John Murray. 1881.

Summary

Has read Earthworms with great interest. Remembers CD once said, laughing, that he was finding that "worms could revolutionise the world". CD has succeeded in proving greatness of their power.

Please cite as

Darwin Correspondence Project, “Letter no. 13406,” accessed on 28 March 2024, https://www.darwinproject.ac.uk/letter/?docId=letters/DCP-LETT-13406.xml

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