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Darwin Correspondence Project

To J. D. Hooker   14 August [1869]1

Down. | Beckenham | Kent. S.E.

Aug. 14—

My dear Hooker

I write one line to tell you that you are a real good man to propose coming here for a Sunday after Exeter—2 Do keep to this good intention.

It is very bad news about yr poor boy & we are both grieved to hear it.3 I am not at all surprized that it makes you out of spirits. You must feel much perplexed what to do, & I shall be glad to talk about your plans with you when you are here. I am sure Exeter & your other visit will do you good.4 I often wonder how you stand all yr multifarious work.

I quite agree about the folly of the endless subscriptions for dead men; but Faraday is an exception & if you will pay 3 guineas for me, it will save me some trouble;5 but it will be best to enclose a cheque, which as you will see, must be endorsed. If you read the North. Brit. Rev. you will like to know that George has convinced me, from correspondence in style & spirit, that the article is by Tait, the co-worker with Thompson.6

I was much surprized at the leaves of Drosophyllum being always rolled backwards at their tips, but did not know that it was a unique character.7

Thanks for all the news in yr letter   yours affectionately | Ch. Darwin

Footnotes

The year is established by the relationship of this letter and the letter from J. D. Hooker, 13 August 1869.
CD refers to the memorial for Michael Faraday. See letter from J. D. Hooker, 13 August 1869 and nn. 15 and 16.
See letter to J. D. Hooker, 7 August [1869] and n. 4. George Howard Darwin correctly attributed the article in the North British Review ([Tait] 1869) to Peter Guthrie Tait; Tait and William Thomson had published a joint work, Treatise on natural philosophy (Thomson and Tait 1867).

Bibliography

[Tait, Peter Guthrie.] 1869a. Geological time. North British Review n.s. 11: 406–39.

Summary

Faraday memorial is an exception.

George [Darwin] has convinced CD that North British Review article is by P. G. Tait [see 6841].

Surprised that leaves of Drosophyllum are always rolled backwards at their tips, but did not know it was unique character.

Letter details

Letter no.
DCP-LETT-6863
From
Charles Robert Darwin
To
Joseph Dalton Hooker
Sent from
Down
Source of text
DAR 94: 149-50
Physical description
LS 3pp

Please cite as

Darwin Correspondence Project, “Letter no. 6863,” accessed on 18 April 2024, https://www.darwinproject.ac.uk/letter/?docId=letters/DCP-LETT-6863.xml

Also published in The Correspondence of Charles Darwin, vol. 17

letter