To James Torbitt 29 October 1880
Down, [4 Bryanston Street, London.]
Oct. 29, 1880.
My dear Sir
I am writing in London, as not having been very well of late, I have come here for 2 or 3 days rest.1
Your secret shall be inviolable, and to make sure in case of my illness or death I have now burnt your letter.2 I kindly? sincerely?3 wish you success in your projects, but it is not the least use consulting me, as I never have and never shall attend to any commercial affair.
I suppose the success of your projects would depend on the contingent expenses of the process, though it is obviously a gain for the public to save waste food. I wish you success but pray do not be rash, and remember that though enthusiasm is a virtue it is a dangerous one.
Believe me my dear Sir | Yours sincerely | Ch. Darwin.
Footnotes
Bibliography
Evans, Alun, et al. 1996. ‘Too serious for joking’: James Torbitt, the Belfast potato breeder. Ulster Folklife 42: 1–11.
Summary
"Your secret shall be inviolable, and to make sure in case of my illness or death I have now burnt your letter."
Wishes JT success in commercial venture.
Letter details
- Letter no.
- DCP-LETT-12780
- From
- Charles Robert Darwin
- To
- James Torbitt
- Sent from
- London, Bryanston St, 4 Down letterhead
- Source of text
- DAR 148: 123
- Physical description
- C 1p
Please cite as
Darwin Correspondence Project, “Letter no. 12780,” accessed on 26 April 2024, https://www.darwinproject.ac.uk/letter/?docId=letters/DCP-LETT-12780.xml