From Frederic William Farrar 1 February [1866]1
Harrow. N.W.
Feb. 1.
Dear Sir,
I am about to make a request, which I must preface by asking you to pardon it, if it should seem presumptious.
I have been told by a gentleman of influence & position in the Royal Society—that my two works on Language, together with my contributions to Ethnology, constitute a sufficient justification to my offering myself as a candidate for admission into the Royal Society.2 The first book—The Origin of Language—was the earliest work devoted to that subject since the beginning of this century, & every succeeding writer has noticed it with approval—including both Prof Pott of Berlin, & Mons. Ernest Renan.3 The latter book you have done me the honour to read & approve.4
It is indeed very late to offer myself as the election takes place early in March, but if I am not taking too great a liberty in asking if you would be one of those who would, from general knowledge, sign my certificate, I cannot help thinking that your name alone would go far to secure my election.5
Once more offering my apologies if, in writing thus, I trespass too far on your indulgence, I remain, dear Sir, | Very faithfully your’s, | Frederic W Farrar.
Footnotes
Bibliography
Correspondence: The correspondence of Charles Darwin. Edited by Frederick Burkhardt et al. 29 vols to date. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. 1985–.
Descent: The descent of man, and selection in relation to sex. By Charles Darwin. 2 vols. London: John Murray. 1871.
Farrar, Frederic William. 1857. The people of England. A lecture, delivered before the Harrow Literary Institution, October 13th, 1857. London: Longman, Brown, Green, Longmans, and Roberts. Harrow: W. Winkley, Jun.
Farrar, Frederic William. 1860. An essay on the origin of language, based on modern researches, and especially on the works of M. Renan. London: John Murray.
Farrar, Frederic William. 1865. Chapters on language. London: Longmans, Green, and Co.
Hall, Marie Boas. 1984. All scientists now: the Royal Society in the nineteenth century. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.
Lyons, Henry. 1944. The Royal Society 1660–1940: a history of its administration under its charters. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.
Marginalia: Charles Darwin’s marginalia. Edited by Mario A. Di Gregorio with the assistance of Nicholas W. Gill. Vol. 1. New York and London: Garland Publishing. 1990.
Summary
Is seeking election to the Royal Society.
Letter details
- Letter no.
- DCP-LETT-4993
- From
- Frederic William Farrar
- To
- Charles Robert Darwin
- Sent from
- Harrow
- Source of text
- DAR 164: 36
- Physical description
- ALS 3pp
Please cite as
Darwin Correspondence Project, “Letter no. 4993,” accessed on 24 April 2024, https://www.darwinproject.ac.uk/letter/?docId=letters/DCP-LETT-4993.xml
Also published in The Correspondence of Charles Darwin, vol. 14
