Dear M^rs Darwin,

I am going to beg a little favour of you. A German has published a short life of D^r Erasmus Darwin, chiefly in relation to his scientific work.¹ My brother & I mean to have a translation of it published, and I intend to write a short preface with a few words about the family.² We shall give a photograph from a picture of him by Wright; and I have thought that it would ornament the little book if we could give a photograph or woodcut of Elston or Elston Hall (for I do not know which it ought to be called) as his birth place.³ Now could you give or lend me a photograph of the house, with permission to have it reproduced? If so, I should be greatly obliged. I fear that is not probable that M^r Darwin⁴ or yourself possess any documents about D^r Darwin or letters from him; for if you have any & would not object to my using them they might be of much service. I possess a good many of his letters, but hardly more than one or two are worth publishing, so that I am not hopeful on this head.

I beg leave to remain | Dear M^rs. Darwin | Yours sincerely | Charles Darwin