To T. H. Huxley 5 December [1873]1
Down, | Beckenham, Kent.
Dec. 5th
My dear Huxley.
I am very sorry about Dohrn’s troubles, but there is clearly nothing to be done for him at present.— I hardly understand his motives about his Father.2 I have written to Cambridge to tell the men there nothing can be done.3
I am delighted to hear that Hooker’s election went off so well; but my mouth waters from longing to know how the fiend, Owen, distinguished himself4
It is good news that you have written about the Brain; but I shall not be ready for some weeks for your M.S., as my new Edit. of the Descent has turned out an awful job.—5 It took me ten days merely to glance over letters & reviews with criticism & new facts. It is a devil of a job.
I cannot say much for my health, & begin to fear that diet will do only a little for me. The great benefit at first was, I believe, merely due to a change, & changes of all kinds are at first highly beneficial to me.—
Yours most truly | Ch Darwin
Footnotes
Bibliography
Descent 2d ed.: The descent of man, and selection in relation to sex. By Charles Darwin. 2d edition. London: John Murray. 1874.
Descent: The descent of man, and selection in relation to sex. By Charles Darwin. 2 vols. London: John Murray. 1871.
Groeben, Christiane, ed. 1982. Charles Darwin 1809–1882, Anton Dohrn 1840–1909: correspondence. Naples: Macchiaroli.
Summary
Sorry to hear of Dohrn’s troubles. Has written to prospective donors saying that nothing can be done because of attitude of Dohrn’s father.
New [2d] edition of Descent is an awful job.
Diet no longer doing much for his health.
Letter details
- Letter no.
- DCP-LETT-9173
- From
- Charles Robert Darwin
- To
- Thomas Henry Huxley
- Sent from
- Down
- Source of text
- Imperial College of Science, Technology, and Medicine Archives (Huxley 5: 305)
- Physical description
- ALS 3pp
Please cite as
Darwin Correspondence Project, “Letter no. 9173,” accessed on 26 September 2022, https://www.darwinproject.ac.uk/letter/?docId=letters/DCP-LETT-9173.xml
Also published in The Correspondence of Charles Darwin, vol. 21