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Darwin Correspondence Project

To John Higgins   10 September [1847]

Down Farnborough Kent

Sept 10th

My dear Sir

I shall be very glad to oblige Mr Mason: I certainly do not want to sell, but please to tell him with my compliments that if he prefers buying to taking a lease of it, the bit of land is at his service.1 I have myself been similarly circumstanced & disappointed & therefore am all the gladder to oblige Mr Mason.2 As you remark, I expect not to be put to any expence.—

I had intended before rent-time asking you a trifling question: I observe that the Banker charges 9s for remitting the money on a 3 weeks draft. Now I am so ignorant of money matters that I do not know what risk there is in drafts being sent by Post: are they often forged; for if so, paying 9s would be worth it as an insurance. Otherwise I gruudge wasting 18s per annum. Can Drafts be scored to a Banker, like cheques, that would make them essentially quite safe?

When at your leisure, will you be so kind, as to tell me what is best. & believe me my dear Sir | Yours very faithfully | C. R. Darwin. To J. Higgins Esqe

Footnotes

Henry Payne Mason, rector of Beesby, Lincolnshire.
CD possibly refers to the fact that, due to an irregularity in conveyancing ownership of some land adjoining Down House, he had been obliged to repurchase a small strip of land (Correspondence vol. 2, letter to Susan Darwin, [8 December 1843], n. 3). It may be the same ‘slip of land’ referred to in Correspondence vol. 3, letter to Emma Darwin, [7–8 February 1845].

Bibliography

Correspondence: The correspondence of Charles Darwin. Edited by Frederick Burkhardt et al. 29 vols to date. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. 1985–.

Summary

Agrees to lease land to Mr Mason. Discusses arrangements for bank draft.

Letter details

Letter no.
DCP-LETT-1117
From
Charles Robert Darwin
To
John Higgins
Sent from
Down
Source of text
Lincolnshire Archives (HIG/4/2/1/6)
Physical description
ALS 3pp

Please cite as

Darwin Correspondence Project, “Letter no. 1117,” accessed on 28 March 2024, https://www.darwinproject.ac.uk/letter/?docId=letters/DCP-LETT-1117.xml

Also published in The Correspondence of Charles Darwin, vol. 4

letter