To Alphonse de Candolle 11 November [1859]
Down Bromley Kent [Ilkley]
Nov. 11th.
Dear Sir
I have thought that you would permit me to send you (by Messrs Williams & Norgate Booksellers) a copy of my work (as yet only an abstract) on the Origin of Species. I wish to do this, as the only though quite inadequate manner by which I can testify to you, the extreme interest which I have felt, & the great advantage, which I have derived, from studying your grand & noble work on Geographical Distribution.1 Should you be induced to read my volume, I venture to remark that it will be intelligible only by reading the whole straight through, as it is very much condensed. It would be a high gratification to me, if any portion interested you.— But I am perfectly well aware, that you will entirely disagree with the conclusion, at which I have arrived.
You will probably have quite forgotten me; but many years ago you did me the honour of dining at my house in London to meet M. & Mad. Sismondi,—the uncle & aunt of my wife.—2
With sincere respect, I beg leave to remain— | Yours very faithfully | Charles Darwin
Footnotes
Bibliography
Candolle, Alphonse de. 1855. Géographie botanique raisonnée ou exposition des faits principaux et des lois concernant la distribution géographique des plantes de l’époque actuelle. 2 vols. Paris: Victor Mason. Geneva: J. Kessmann.
Correspondence: The correspondence of Charles Darwin. Edited by Frederick Burkhardt et al. 29 vols to date. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. 1985–.
Summary
Sends Origin as testimony to great benefit CD derived from AdeC’s works on distribution.
Letter details
- Letter no.
- DCP-LETT-2523
- From
- Charles Robert Darwin
- To
- Alphonse de Candolle
- Sent from
- Ilkley Down letterhead
- Source of text
- Archives de la famille de Candolle (private collection)
- Physical description
- ALS 3pp
Please cite as
Darwin Correspondence Project, “Letter no. 2523,” accessed on 18 April 2024, https://www.darwinproject.ac.uk/letter/?docId=letters/DCP-LETT-2523.xml
Also published in The Correspondence of Charles Darwin, vol. 7