From T. H. Farrer 24 September 1868
Eashing Park
24 Sept/68
My dear Mr Darwin
The printers of the Annals of Natural History have sent me proofs at once; and I am not a little astonished at seeing my own name in print to a paper on such a subject—which after all is a good deal more interesting than “Tonnage” &c1 Many thanks to you for all your kindness.2
It is wonderful how every flower one looks at is explained by & throws light on the fertilizing process. The anthers & hollow stigma & spur of Viola: the tails of anthers in Erica: the difference of times of maturity of stamens & pistil in Mallow Achimenes &c &c—and above all the wonderful Co relation of variety of similar structure in flowers nearly related—e.g. in Kidney Bean: Broad Bean: Pea: & Furze—afford endless entertainment and illustration of what is I hope something more than Entertainment.3 It is pleasant to see what interest this has given to my little girl with whom I sometimes pick flowers to pieces— She says with truth that botany—however interesting is too much dead work— This is living.4
I cannot help sending you from memory what I dare say you know well—a great favorite of mine among Goethes scattered bits of wisdom—which I think would make a capital motto for your book.5
Pray dont answer this— It is only thanks
Sincerely yours | T H Farrer Immer so vor vielen Jahren Eifrig war der Geist bestrebt Zu erforschen, zu erfahren Wie Natur im Schaffen lebt: Und es ist das Einzig Eine, Das sich vielfach offenbart; Klein das Grosse, gross das Kleine, Alles nach der eignen Art: Immer wechselnd, fest sich haltend; Nah und fern, und fern und nah Sich gestaltend, umgestaltend— Zum erstaunen bin ich da!6
Footnotes
Bibliography
Goethe, Johann Wolfgang von. 1983. Goethe. Poems and epigrams. Selected, translated, and with an introduction by Michael Hamburger. London: Anvil Press.
Goethe, Johann Wolfgang von. 1988. Gedichte 1800–32. Edited by Karl Eibl. Frankfurt am Main: Deutscher Klassiker Verlag.
Summary
Wonderful how every flower one looks at is explained by, and throws light on, the fertilising process.
Letter details
- Letter no.
- DCP-LETT-6391
- From
- Thomas Henry Farrer, 1st baronet and 1st Baron Farrer
- To
- Charles Robert Darwin
- Sent from
- Eashing Park, Godalming
- Source of text
- DAR 164: 46
- Physical description
- ALS 5pp
Please cite as
Darwin Correspondence Project, “Letter no. 6391,” accessed on
Also published in The Correspondence of Charles Darwin, vol. 16