To C. L. Denison 14 January 1874
6 Queen Anne St W
Jan 14 1874
Madam
Having lately read with extreme interest “Varieties of Vice-Regal life”,1 I have thought that you will perhaps excuse the liberty I take in asking you to give me some information, if in your power, about the inhabitants of Norfolk I. It is notorious that these people increased rapidly in Pitcairn’s I., & the point which I am anxious to learn is whether, after their removal to Norfolk I., they continued to increase as rapidly as before. I fear that it is hardly probable that I could any how ascertain their numbers when first brought to Norfolk I., the number of those who left the Island, & their number at any recent date.2
In the animal & vegetable kingdoms it is certain that very slight changes of conditions sometimes affect the fertility of species in a marvellous manner, & I much desire to ascertain whether any thing of this kind has occurred in Norfolk Island—
I am fully aware that I have much reason to apologize for the liberty which I am taking.
I beg leave to remain | your Ladyship’s | obedient servant | Charles Darwin
Footnotes
Bibliography
Denison, William. 1870. Varieties of vice-regal life. 2 vols. London: Longmans, Green, and Co.
Summary
Seeks information on the number of Pitcairn islanders and the effect on their fertility of the transfer to Norfolk Island.
Letter details
- Letter no.
- DCP-LETT-9241
- From
- Charles Robert Darwin
- To
- Caroline Lucy Denison
- Sent from
- London, Queen Anne St, 6
- Source of text
- National Library of Australia (MS 73)
- Physical description
- LS 3pp
Please cite as
Darwin Correspondence Project, “Letter no. 9241,” accessed on 23 April 2024, https://www.darwinproject.ac.uk/letter/?docId=letters/DCP-LETT-9241.xml
Also published in The Correspondence of Charles Darwin, vol. 22