From F. S. B. F. de Chaumont to W. E. Darwin 16 April 1871
Oakland | Woolston
April 16th./71
My dear Darwin,
I called at the bank yesterday to talk over the subject of your letter, but you were not there. I shall be most happy to place my letter at your father’s disposal, but I hope he will put in assistant-Professor, as that is my true position—1 In speaking of my wife2 I presume he means by English, British extraction; her father being Scotch & mother English3 although perhaps English is really rigidly correct, as the non-Gaelic Scots & the Northumbrians are both Angle in origin—
I do not remember ever to have seen the platysma myoides contract under any of the circumstances you name,—at least I never gave any particular attention to it—4 As to the voluntary contraction I have seen some cases and I can do it myself completely, as I shall be happy to show you some day— My sister5 has also voluntary command over it—
I am unable to answer the question about the pupil in ague,—but then I have seen very little of the disease— I put the question to Dr. Parkes6 and he says it does not change— I hear however that a number of cases have come in yesterday and if possible I will get some information on the point.— I may look in upon you tomorrow on my way up to the Rehearsal
Yours very sincerely | F. de Chaumont
W. E. Darwin Esqr
CD annotations
CD note:
* I mentioned your questions to Dr De Chaumont & this is his answer.
Can he make any observations on the Platisma for you?7 [crossed pencil]
WED
Footnotes
Bibliography
Expression: The expression of the emotions in man and animals. By Charles Darwin. London: John Murray. 1872.
Summary
Answers to questions about expression.
Letter details
- Letter no.
- DCP-LETT-7688
- From
- Francis Stephen Bennet François de Chaumont
- To
- William Erasmus Darwin
- Sent from
- Woolston
- Source of text
- DAR 162: 136
- Physical description
- ALS 3pp †, † (by CD)
Please cite as
Darwin Correspondence Project, “Letter no. 7688,” accessed on 22 September 2024, https://www.darwinproject.ac.uk/letter/?docId=letters/DCP-LETT-7688.xml
Also published in The Correspondence of Charles Darwin, vol. 19