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Darwin Correspondence Project

From W. B. Bowles   18 May 1877

5, Rue Scribe. | Paris,

le 18th. May— 1877

Dear Sir,

Now that the letter is written which accompanies this, I hesitate to send it, as altho’ I pass for a man of good common sense, I cant make up my mind whether what I have written is sense or nonsense1

The subject interests me greatly, and as I have met these speaking monkey in society all over the world I should like to account for their presence in some way or other. Their presence is not confind to the lower orders where generations of ignorance and poor living might account for them, but you find them in multituds among the higer classes where often a superficial polish serves to hide the absence of humanity beneath.—

Respy yours | Wm. B Bowles

Charles Darwin, Esq F.R.S. | London.

Summary

Is less certain of views in letter of 17 May [10963]. Asserts interest in explaining the presence of "speaking monkeys", which occur in higher as well as lower classes.

Letter details

Letter no.
DCP-LETT-10965
From
William Burrows Bowles
To
Charles Robert Darwin
Sent from
Paris
Source of text
DAR 160: 264
Physical description
ALS 1p

Please cite as

Darwin Correspondence Project, “Letter no. 10965,” accessed on 19 April 2024, https://www.darwinproject.ac.uk/letter/?docId=letters/DCP-LETT-10965.xml

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