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Darwin Correspondence Project

From Victor Marshall   7 September 1879

Monk Coniston, Ambleside.

Septr 7. 1879

Dear Mr Darwin

I have just come back, but have not yet been down to the Inn field. When I go, the trees shall have the benefit of your recommendation.1 I am very glad that you had a good time here. I was rather doubtful about your prospects at first, for I was afraid the Inn would not be quiet enough. Next time you come I hope we may be able to get hold of a house for you.

I had meant to ask you to plant a tree somewhere in the garden, but could not get back here in time to catch you.

Will you send me a young plant of some kind, or a seed that will grow, in order that in future we may have a memorial of your visit.

The Burnet seems a very wide awake plant, that is we cant catch it napping.2 Did you encounter Ruskin? He told somebody the day after he had heard that you had arrived, that if Mr Darwin would get different kinds of air & bottle them, & examine them when bottled, he would do much more useful work than he does in the contemplation of the hinder parts of monkeys.3 I communicate this valuable suggestion to you free of all charge

Yours very truly | Victor Marshall

Footnotes

The Darwins had stayed at Waterhead Hotel in Coniston in the Lake District from 2 to 27 August 1879 (CD’s ‘Journal’ (Appendix II)). The hotel was owned by Marshall. CD had recommended removing some fir trees that spoiled the view from the verandah of the hotel (see letter to Victor Marshall, 25 August 1879).
Burnet (Sanguisorba minor) is a plant in the family Rosaceae. CD was working on nyctitropic movement, or sleep, in plants.
John Ruskin lived at Brantwood on Coniston Water. In Descent 2: 291, CD had described the vivid red on the hinder part of the body in male Cercopithecus cynosurus (a synonym of Chlorocebus cynosurus, Malbrouck monkey) and Cercopithecus griseo-viridis (a synonym of Chlorocebus aethiops, grivet or green monkey).

Summary

VAEGM pleased CD enjoyed his stay at Coniston.

Reports some rude remarks about CD made by John Ruskin.

Letter details

Letter no.
DCP-LETT-12220
From
Victor Alexander Ernest Garth (Victor) Marshall
To
Charles Robert Darwin
Sent from
Ambleside
Source of text
DAR 171: 46
Physical description
ALS 4pp

Please cite as

Darwin Correspondence Project, “Letter no. 12220,” accessed on 28 March 2024, https://www.darwinproject.ac.uk/letter/?docId=letters/DCP-LETT-12220.xml

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