To Thomas Rivers 5 March [1863]1
Down. | Bromley. | Kent. S.E.
March 5th
My dear Sir
I write one line just to thank you sincerely for additional information on weeping trees & for your great kindness in writing about the Sophora.2 If you could remember, when you see the Weeping Elm in seed, & would send me a few seed; I would force them on, & see whether they weeped.—3
The double Peach is in beautiful flower & I do hope it may set some fruit. The almond,, alas, has not produced one flower; so I shall have to beg a specimen of a fresh fruit in summer for comparison with fruit of double Peach.4
I have been very unwell (& my hand is tremulous & worse than usual) for last 10 days & have very great fear I must knock off all work & go to Malvern for two months.5 It breaks my heart, with so many things to do & observe.—
Depend on it that Lindley will never let your article pass unpublished.6 I was at Kew about a fortnight ago & was mentioning your kindness, & Dr. Hooker burst out in admiration of your articles.—7
Believe me | Yours very sincerely | Ch. Darwin
Footnotes
Bibliography
Correspondence: The correspondence of Charles Darwin. Edited by Frederick Burkhardt et al. 29 vols to date. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. 1985–.
Desmond, Ray. 1994. Dictionary of British and Irish botanists and horticulturists including plant collectors, flower painters and garden designers. New edition, revised with the assistance of Christine Ellwood. London: Taylor & Francis and the Natural History Museum. Bristol, Pa.: Taylor & Francis.
Variation: The variation of animals and plants under domestication. By Charles Darwin. 2 vols. London: John Murray. 1868.
Summary
Thanks for information on weeping trees; asks for a few weeping elm seeds.
The double peach is in flower; the almond has not flowered; will beg a specimen of fruit later.
Has been unwell.
Tells of Hooker’s admiration for TR’s articles.
Letter details
- Letter no.
- DCP-LETT-4023
- From
- Charles Robert Darwin
- To
- Thomas Rivers
- Sent from
- Down
- Source of text
- Sotheby’s (dealers) (23–4 July 1987)
- Physical description
- ALS 4pp
Please cite as
Darwin Correspondence Project, “Letter no. 4023,” accessed on 28 March 2024, https://www.darwinproject.ac.uk/letter/?docId=letters/DCP-LETT-4023.xml
Also published in The Correspondence of Charles Darwin, vol. 11