To Edward Cresy [before May 1848?]1
Down, Farnborough, Kent
Monday.
My dear Sir
Although I have never particularly attended to the points in dispute between Dr. King and the other Arctic gentlemen, yet I have carefully read all the articles in the Athenæum,2 and took from them much the same impression as you convey in your letter, for which I thank you. I believe that old sinner Sir J. Barrow has been at the bottom of all the money wasted over the naval expeditions.3 So strongly have I felt on this subject, that when I was appointed on a Committee for Nat. Hist. instructions for present expedition,4 had I been able to attend, I had resolved to express my opinion on the little advantage, comparatively to the expense, gained by them. There have been I believe, from the beginning 18 expeditions;5 this strikes me as monstrous, considering how little is known, for instance, on the interior of Australia. The country has paid dear for Sir John’s hobbyhorse.6 I have very little doubt that Dr. King is quite right in the advantage of Land Expeditions as far as geography is concerned;7 and that is now the chief object.8
I thank you very cordially for the trouble you have taken about Darlue;9 I fear I have but a small chance of finding out about the travelling sheep.10
With thanks for your note, pray believe me, | My dear Sir | Yours sincerely | C. Darwin
I hope Mr. & Mrs. Cresy are well.
Footnotes
Bibliography
Barrow, John. 1818. A chronological history of voyages into the Arctic regions (1818): undertaken chiefly for the purpose of discovering a north-east, north-west or polar passage between the Atlantic and Pacific. London. [Reprint edition. Devon: South Devon House. 1971.]
Correspondence: The correspondence of Charles Darwin. Edited by Frederick Burkhardt et al. 29 vols to date. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. 1985–.
Darluc, Michel. 1782–6. Histoire naturelle de la Provence, contenant ce qu’il y a de plus remarquable dans les règnes végétal, minéral, animal et la partie géoponique. 3 vols. Avignon.
King, Richard. 1855. The Franklin expedition from first to last. London.
Variation: The variation of animals and plants under domestication. By Charles Darwin. 2 vols. London: John Murray. 1868.
Summary
Agrees that naval expeditions to the Arctic are a waste of money. Believes Sir J. Barrow responsible. "Dr [Richard?] King is quite right in the advantage of Land Expeditions".
Letter details
- Letter no.
- DCP-LETT-805
- From
- Charles Robert Darwin
- To
- Edward Cresy, Jr
- Sent from
- Down
- Source of text
- DAR 143: 304
- Physical description
- C 2pp
Please cite as
Darwin Correspondence Project, “Letter no. 805,” accessed on 5 October 2024, https://www.darwinproject.ac.uk/letter/?docId=letters/DCP-LETT-805.xml
Also published in The Correspondence of Charles Darwin, vol. 4