To Godfrey Wedgwood 21 April [1856]1
Down Bromley Kent
Ap. 21
My dear Godfrey
I am extremely much obliged to you for all the trouble which you have taken about the Rabbits & for your clear Report. I fear the case has broken down, except so far as knowing that such a breed has run wild for some years at Sandon.2 The only chance of hearing further particulars would be from the agent of the Estate or any old farmer, & such might know that the breed has been there for at least some given number of years. But perhaps it is not worth taking more trouble about; unless you shd. come across any one residing at or near Sandon.—
I am very much obliged to you for all your trouble—
Believe me | Yours affectionately | Charles Darwin
P.S. | I have omitted most important part, viz that it is not worth sending the bodies, as the history of the Breed is so obscure.—
Footnotes
Bibliography
Origin: On the origin of species by means of natural selection, or the preservation of favoured races in the struggle for life. By Charles Darwin. London: John Murray. 1859.
Variation: The variation of animals and plants under domestication. By Charles Darwin. 2 vols. London: John Murray. 1868.
Summary
Thanks GW for his report about the rabbits at Sandon [Staffs.]. Fears case has broken down, except that it is now known that such a breed has run wild for some years. No need to send bodies since breed is so obscure.
Letter details
- Letter no.
- DCP-LETT-1857
- From
- Charles Robert Darwin
- To
- Godfrey Wedgwood
- Sent from
- unstated
- Source of text
- Barbara and Robert Pincus (private collection)
- Physical description
- ALS 3pp
Please cite as
Darwin Correspondence Project, “Letter no. 1857,” accessed on 1 September 2024, https://www.darwinproject.ac.uk/letter/?docId=letters/DCP-LETT-1857.xml
Also published in The Correspondence of Charles Darwin, vol. 6