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 or 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
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