To John Scott 23 May [1863]1
Down. | Bromley. | Kent. S.E.
May 23d
Dear Sir
I have just received your two letters.2 I am really incompetent from complete ignorance to advise you.3 But I have done my best for I have written to Dr. Hooker, who must often have sent out superintendents &c &c & who knows Darjeeling well, for his advice.—4 He will do anything for me & as soon as I hear I will not lose a post & inform you.— Can you borrow his “Himalayan Journals”, you will find much about Darjeeling.—5 If the offer is fairly good (especially as you are rather uncomfortable in present position) I would not refuse on account of your experiments.6 You will have plenty of opportunities.
I must not let you suppose that there is any chance of my aiding you to a situation abroad; my health is so broken that I rarely see a soul, & all such applications would be made to Kew or Edinburgh or Dublin—7 I have mentioned your wish to Dr. Hooker; but rather suppose that he would feel bound to recommend anyone whom he had known at Kew.— I have only glanced at your scientific letter; but I see it contains much interesting to me.— Do not expect to interest many others equally; but rely firmly on it, that such experimental researches as yours will have a permanent value, & will be referred to years afterwards, when the endless flimsy papers of the present day are forgotten—
Yours faithfully. | C. Darwin
Footnotes
Summary
Has written to Hooker for his advice about the Darjeeling position. JS should not refuse the position on account of his experiments.
Letter details
- Letter no.
- DCP-LETT-4183
- From
- Charles Robert Darwin
- To
- John Scott
- Sent from
- Down
- Source of text
- DAR 93: B15–16
- Physical description
- ALS 4pp
Please cite as
Darwin Correspondence Project, “Letter no. 4183,” accessed on 26 November 2024, https://www.darwinproject.ac.uk/letter/?docId=letters/DCP-LETT-4183.xml
Also published in The Correspondence of Charles Darwin, vol. 11