From Dorothy Frances Nevill [before 22 January 1862]1
Dangstein | Petersfield
My dear Sir
I have been a long time meditating whether I dared write and make the request I am about to do—but even if you cannot grant I hope you will take it as a compliment rather than in ⟨any⟩ other light— I am so gratified at having made your acquaintance2 altho ⟨ ⟩ on paper ⟨ ⟩ ⟨w⟩ould so like if it were ⟨po⟩ssible that you would give me a photo or lithograph or any other portrait of yourself to hang up in my own sitting room Sir William Hooker3 and many more have done so and it is such a pleasure to have near me the resemblance of friends to whom I am indebted for so many pleasant hours—in reading their works and listening to their conversation— Do comply with my request if you possibly can—4 If I could I would buy one but to me that would be of no value unless it came from you and with your autograph— I shall enclose with this a list of orchids now in bloom that you may see whether you want any5 We have 2 splendid Stangeria Paradoxa now in blossom one the fruitful one the barren flower What a curious bulbous plant it is— Do you believe it is a Cycadaceous Palm of the same species as Dion Edule—6 I hope I have not exposed my ignorance in making these remarks—but I am so fond of all kinds of Botany and natural history that I fear I undertake too many things to do anything well— I only wish for an unframed photo or lithograph however bad I shall be most grateful for it
Yrs most truly | Dorothy Nevill
I am so interested in the account of your pigeons in your book7
Do you live ne⟨ar⟩ to Sydneys ⟨ ⟩8
Footnotes
Bibliography
Correspondence: The correspondence of Charles Darwin. Edited by Frederick Burkhardt et al. 29 vols to date. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. 1985–.
Lindley, John. 1853. The vegetable kingdom; or, the structure, classification, and uses of plants, illustrated upon the natural system. 3d edition with corrections and additional genera. London: Bradbury & Evans.
Loudon, John Claudius. 1850. Loudon’s hortus Britannicus. A catalogue of all the plants indigenous, cultivated in, or introduced to Britain. New ed. London.
Orchids: On the various contrivances by which British and foreign orchids are fertilised by insects, and on the good effects of intercrossing. By Charles Darwin. London: John Murray. 1862.
Origin: On the origin of species by means of natural selection, or the preservation of favoured races in the struggle for life. By Charles Darwin. London: John Murray. 1859.
Post Office directory of the six home counties: Post Office directory of the six home counties, viz., Essex, Herts, Kent, Middlesex, Surrey and Sussex. London: W. Kelly & Co. 1845–78.
Summary
Will enclose list of orchids in bloom for CD’s use.
Asks for photograph; her pleasure in knowing CD.
Most interested in the account of pigeons in CD’s book [Origin].
Letter details
- Letter no.
- DCP-LETT-3402
- From
- Dorothy Fanny Walpole/Dorothy Fanny Nevill
- To
- Charles Robert Darwin
- Sent from
- Dangstein, Petersfield
- Source of text
- DAR 172: 27
- Physical description
- ALS 4pp
Please cite as
Darwin Correspondence Project, “Letter no. 3402,” accessed on 26 September 2022, https://www.darwinproject.ac.uk/letter/?docId=letters/DCP-LETT-3402.xml
Also published in The Correspondence of Charles Darwin, vol. 10
