From Chauncey Wright 2 September 1872
Tavistock Hotel Covent Garden | London
Sept. 2 1872
My dear Sir
Indolence, especially in making practicable future plans, being one of my besetting sins, (my speculative energies being expended for the most part in other directions,) I came abroad with hardly any scheme of travel at all. This is one of the chief causes of my long stay in London, (much longer than I thought it would be,) though not the best excuse that could be given for it. But I have from time to time taken advantage of other peoples’ plans and resolutions and followed the suggestions and guidance of friends, like a moral parasite. I⟨n⟩ accordance with this passive mode of ⟨mo⟩tion I made an appointment with a f⟨riend,⟩ who left London for Paris yesterday morning, to meet him there near the end of this week.1 The engagement is not absolutely binding and was made mainly for my own benefit; but on the whole I think it best not to break it; although it would add much to the pleasure of my visit to you to meet your son again. I called at his rooms in Arlington St about a month ago and learned that he was gone on a journey.2
I shall be much better pleased with the little visit you suggest than by a mere call, especially as it better suits your convenience; and I will come on Wednesday P.M. by the train you suggest from Charing ⟨C⟩ross 5h. 5m.3
Sincerely yours | Chauncey Wright
Footnotes
Bibliography
Darwin, Francis. 1916. Memoir of Sir George Darwin. In Scientific papers, by George Howard Darwin. Vol. 5. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.
Thayer, James Bradley. 1878. Letters of Chauncey Wright with some account of his life. Cambridge, Mass.: John Wilson and Son.
Summary
Arranges to visit CD at Down.
Letter details
- Letter no.
- DCP-LETT-8507
- From
- Chauncey Wright
- To
- Charles Robert Darwin
- Sent from
- London, Covent Garden
- Source of text
- DAR 181: 170
- Physical description
- ALS 2pp
Please cite as
Darwin Correspondence Project, “Letter no. 8507,” accessed on 29 March 2024, https://www.darwinproject.ac.uk/letter/?docId=letters/DCP-LETT-8507.xml
Also published in The Correspondence of Charles Darwin, vol. 20