From J. R. Atkin 7 August [1879]¹

Pantlludw, | Machynlleth.

Aug 7^th

Dear M^r Darwin

Thank you very much for your present and the kind letter you sent me.² I hope you will enjoy yourselves at the Lakes and that you will have better weather than we have here. We had a great thunder storm here on Saturday night: I wonder if you had it where you are. Is Bernard with you?³ I am sure he has grown very much since I last saw him Please give my love to him and to M^rs Darwin, Bessie and Uncle Frank.⁴ Mama, Walter and Robert send their love too.

Goodbye dear M^r Darwin. From your affec little | Dick Atkin

Footnotes

1

The year is established by the reference to CD’s holiday in the Lake District. The Darwin family stayed at Coniston from 2 to 27 August 1879 (Emma Darwin’s diary (DAR 242)).

2

The letter to Atkin has not been found. Elizabeth Darwin had travelled to Switzerland with Atkin’s mother, Mary Elizabeth Atkin, in June 1879, and his younger brothers, Walter Stewart George Davenport Atkin and Robert Laurence Atkin, had stayed at Down (see letter from Francis Darwin, [after 16 June 1879], and letter to Francis Darwin, 24 June [1879]).

3

Francis Darwin’s son, Bernard Darwin, was Atkin’s cousin.

4

Emma Darwin, Elizabeth Darwin, and Francis Darwin.