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Darwin Correspondence Project

To J. S. Billings   8 [October 1881]1

Down, | Beckenham, Kent. | (Railway Station | Orpington. S.E.R.)

Saturday 8th

Dear Dr. Billings

I shall be most happy to see you here, if you think it worth while to undertake so troublesome a journey.2 There are very few trains on a Sunday to Orpington St, (4 miles from this house) starting from Charing cross; & perhaps it wd be more convenient for you to come viâ Bromley, starting from Victoria Stn; though Bromley is 6 miles from this house— You could come here to luncheon leaving Victoria St at 10° 25′ Am & arriving here about 12° & you could return, leaving here about 2° 45′.—

Or you could come to dinner here (I cannot offer a bed as my house is full with visitors), leaving Charing Cross at 2° 30′—Orpington at 3°19′ Down at about 4° &; you could return after dinner leaving this house at 8° 20′, which is very early. Should Dr. Ord feel inclined to come I hope that he will be so good as to accompany you.3

I am bound to tell you that my health is weak, & that I am quite incapable of talking long with anyone, as it generally brings on giddiness, so I trust that you will not think me inhospitable, if after talking for 12 or 34 of an hour, I am compelled to leave you for a time—

I trust that this note will be delivered tonight—

Pray believe me | Yours very faithfully | Ch. Darwin

Footnotes

The month and year are established by the relationship between this letter and the letter from J. S. Billings, 7 October 1881.
While in England, Billings was staying with William Miller Ord.

Summary

Invites JSB and W. M. Ord to Down, and gives instructions for getting there.

Letter details

Letter no.
DCP-LETT-13377
From
Charles Robert Darwin
To
John Shaw Billings
Sent from
Down
Source of text
National Library of Medicine, Bethesda (History of Medicine Division, Modern Manuscripts Collection)
Physical description
ALS 4pp

Please cite as

Darwin Correspondence Project, “Letter no. 13377,” accessed on 19 April 2024, https://www.darwinproject.ac.uk/letter/?docId=letters/DCP-LETT-13377.xml

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