To M. D. Conway 19 November 1878
Down, | Beckenham, Kent. | (Railway Station | Orpington. S.E.R.)
November 19th. 1878
My dear Sir
I shall be glad to join the Association of Liberal Thinkers, & to subscribe whatever is usual.— It does not seem to me right, & this has been my opinion during many years, that a man’s name should appear prominently in connexion with any body of workers, unless he knows personally how the work is carried on. I must therefore decline the honour of accepting any office in the Association or of my name being brought prominently forwards in connexion with it, as neither the state of my health, nor mental habits will allow me to take an active share in the Association; but I sincerely wish that it may prove successful.1
I remain | My dear sir | Yours faithfully | Ch. Darwin
Footnotes
Summary
Glad to join Association of Liberal Thinkers and to pay usual subscription. Refuses any office and does not allow his name to be used to promote the association because neither his health nor his mental habits will allow him to take an active part.
Letter details
- Letter no.
- DCP-LETT-11748F
- From
- Charles Robert Darwin
- To
- Moncure Daniel Conway
- Sent from
- Down
- Source of text
- Northwestern University Libraries, Charles Deering McCormick Library of Special Collections (Harriet Gilliam papers, box 18, folder 13)
- Physical description
- ALS 3pp
Please cite as
Darwin Correspondence Project, “Letter no. 11748F,” accessed on 24 April 2024, https://www.darwinproject.ac.uk/letter/?docId=letters/DCP-LETT-11748F.xml