From G. H. Darwin [20 November 1881]1
6 Q. A. St
Sunday evening
Dear Father,
The last I heard of poor old Challis was that he had rallied a little.2 It is possible of course that my informant was wrong & that he may live some time longer. It is unpleasant waiting for a man’s death, but in this case I shd. have preferred his living on as you know altho’ it is no kindness to wish him to live as he is now.
The house looks terribly desolate There two or three little odds & ends which I shall remove3 Mrs. Pearce tells me you were amazed at the quantity of glass.4 If you really wish to get rid of some I cd. take a little as I often have to borrow a few glasses. But glass leaks away by breakages & I daresay it will all come in useful I don’t think I shall have to return from Glasgow before Saturday or Sunday as I’m sure nothing can be done until the beginning of the week after even if he is dead now.5
Glaisher6 & a few friends know I shd. be a candidate & will talk which is really all that is necessary
I send two things which are waiting Frk.7 & you here Will write to Wesley as agent of Smithsonian Inst8
I leave at 9.15 tonight & breakfast at Glasgow
Yours | G H Darwin
Footnotes
Summary
Writes of Challis’ health
and of other matters of family interest.
Letter details
- Letter no.
- DCP-LETT-13494
- From
- George Howard Darwin
- To
- Charles Robert Darwin
- Sent from
- London, Queen Anne St, 6
- Source of text
- DAR 210.2: 99
- Physical description
- ALS 3pp
Please cite as
Darwin Correspondence Project, “Letter no. 13494,” accessed on 26 September 2024, https://www.darwinproject.ac.uk/letter/?docId=letters/DCP-LETT-13494.xml