To Louis Agassiz 11 November [1859]
Down Bromley Kent [Ilkley]
Nov. 11th
My dear Sir
I have ventured to send you, a copy of my Book (as yet only an abstract) on the origin of species.1 As the conclusions at which I have arrived on several points differ so widely from yours, I have thought (should you at any time read my volume) that you might think that I had sent it to you out of a spirit of defiance or bravado;2 but I assure you that I act under a wholly different frame of mind. I hope that you will at least give me credit, however erroneous you may think my conclusion, for having earnestly endeavoured to arrive at the truth.
With sincere respect, I beg leave to remain | Yours very faithfully | Charles Darwin
Footnotes
Bibliography
Agassiz, Louis. 1857–62. Contributions to the natural history of the United States of America. 4 vols. Boston, Mass.: Little, Brown & Company. London: Trübner.
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.
Summary
Sends copy of Origin.
Letter details
- Letter no.
- DCP-LETT-2519
- From
- Charles Robert Darwin
- To
- Jean Louis Rodolphe (Louis) Agassiz
- Sent from
- Ilkley Down letterhead
- Source of text
- Houghton Library, Harvard University (MS Am 1419: 276)
- Physical description
- ALS 3pp
Please cite as
Darwin Correspondence Project, “Letter no. 2519,” accessed on 26 November 2024, https://www.darwinproject.ac.uk/letter/?docId=letters/DCP-LETT-2519.xml
Also published in The Correspondence of Charles Darwin, vol. 7
