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Darwin Correspondence Project

From W. E. Darwin   24 June [1880]1

Basset, | Southampton.

June 24

My dear Father,

Should you have any objection to forwarding the enclosed to Lord Derby, perhaps also the enclosed letter to Sara, would explain the case more fully.2 It seems to me that Ld Derby can quite decline to ask any question not withstanding his note if he thinks it better. If you do send it, it might be well to say that in case he did not receive the copy of the New York state survey mentioned by Mr Olmstead a copy can be sent him; I have one sent me by Mr. O. which I would send if necessary.3

I have taken a memorandum about Beaulieu & will go there in the early autumn and get you a good parcel of castings.4

An acquaintance of mine told that he hatched 7 gallenes under a hen and two days ago when running about with about 100 little chickens the little gallenes being about a month old were attacked by a male & female gallene   3 were killed and 4 were saved by the son who was attacked by the gallenes. The female gallene had no chickens, why on earth should she & her husband hate the ones brought up by a hen.5

Please tell Bessy I will send a cheque book & that there is no need to settle about Buxton.6

Your affect son | W. E. Darwin

Footnotes

The year is established by the relationship between this letter and the letter to W. E. Darwin, 18 June 1880.
Edward Henry Stanley and Sara Darwin. For the enclosures, see the enclosures to the letter to E. H. Stanley, 25 June 1880.
Frederick Law Olmsted had sent copies of Special report of New York state survey of the preservation of the scenery of Niagara Falls (Gardiner ed. 1880).
CD had asked William to visit Beaulieu Abbey, Hampshire, to collect worm-castings; see letter to W. E. Darwin, 18 June 1880 and n. 1.
Gallene: a variant spelling of galeeny, guinea fowl (OED).

Bibliography

Gardiner, James Terry, ed. 1880. Special report of New York State Survey on the preservation of the scenery of Niagara Falls; and fourth annual report on the triangulation of State. For the Year 1879. Albany: Charles Van Benthuysen & sons.

OED: The Oxford English dictionary. Being a corrected re-issue with an introduction, supplement and bibliography of a new English dictionary. Edited by James A. H. Murray, et al. 12 vols. and supplement. Oxford: Clarendon Press. 1970. A supplement to the Oxford English dictionary. 4 vols. Edited by R. W. Burchfield. Oxford: Clarendon Press. 1972–86. The Oxford English dictionary. 2d edition. 20 vols. Prepared by J. A. Simpson and E. S. C. Weiner. Oxford: Clarendon Press. 1989. Oxford English dictionary additional series. 3 vols. Edited by John Simpson et al. Oxford: Clarendon Press. 1993–7.

Summary

Asks whether CD will forward enclosed to Lord Derby, and offers to send him a copy of the New York state survey. Will go to Beaulieu in the early autumn. Tells story about gallenes raised by hens being attacked.

Letter details

Letter no.
DCP-LETT-12642G
From
William Erasmus Darwin
To
Charles Robert Darwin
Sent from
Basset, Southampton
Source of text
Cornford Family Papers (DAR 275: 82)
Physical description
ALS 4pp

Please cite as

Darwin Correspondence Project, “Letter no. 12642G,” accessed on 11 October 2024, https://www.darwinproject.ac.uk/letter/?docId=letters/DCP-LETT-12642G.xml

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