To John Lubbock 26 February [1870]1
Down. | Beckenham. | Kent. S.E.
Febr 26
My dear Lubbock
Although you will be overwhelmed with congratulations I must write to say how heartily I rejoice over your success. Your speech at Maidstone struck me as quite excellent, & I fully expect to see you a great man in Parliament, as you are in Science.2 But even in the moment of triumph I must let one little groan escape me for poor deserted Science. Anyhow I know that you will always love your first-born child, & not despise her for the sake of gaudy Politicks—
I wrote to ask you a question about savages & suicide, before I had heard of Maidstone; otherwise of course I wd not have troubled you.3 If in the course of a few weeks, you can inform me, I shd. be glad, but the point is not very important for me.
Once again I do most sincerely congratulate you & especially Lady Lubbock4
Ever most truly yours | Ch. Darwin
Footnotes
Summary
Congratulations [on election to Parliament]; hopes science will not suffer because of politics.
Previously wrote inquiring about savages and suicide, but JL need not hurry to answer.
Letter details
- Letter no.
- DCP-LETT-7117
- From
- Charles Robert Darwin
- To
- John Lubbock, 4th baronet and 1st Baron Avebury
- Sent from
- Down
- Source of text
- DAR 261.7:5 (EH 88205930)
- Physical description
- ALS 3pp
Please cite as
Darwin Correspondence Project, “Letter no. 7117,” accessed on 28 March 2024, https://www.darwinproject.ac.uk/letter/?docId=letters/DCP-LETT-7117.xml
Also published in The Correspondence of Charles Darwin, vol. 18