From George E. Harris 3 March 1862
20, Glo’ster Street, | Queen Square, | Bloomsbury, W.C.
Mar: 3/62.
Sir,
Being but a poor working man with a wife and four children to support, and further, being one of those “thirsty souls” who would drink deep at the fountain of science—when accessible, I have taken the liberty to obtrude upon you and to ask of you the favor of a presentation copy of your great work on the “Origin of Species” the price (12/-) being far above my purchasing means. (power)1
As I am but a poor tailor, I am desirous not to ask the labor of others for nothing, and shall, in return, be but too glad to do work for the amt. “My soul thirsteth after Knowledge” is the apology I make for my obtrusion, and remain, Sir, | yours faithfully, | Geo: E. Harris.
C. Darwin, Esqr.
Footnotes
Bibliography
Origin: On the origin of species by means of natural selection, or the preservation of favoured races in the struggle for life. By Charles Darwin. London: John Murray. 1859.
Summary
GEH, a tailor, wishes to trade some work for a presentation copy of the Origin.
Letter details
- Letter no.
- DCP-LETT-3466
- From
- George Edwin Harris
- To
- Charles Robert Darwin
- Sent from
- London, Gloucester St, 20
- Source of text
- DAR 166.1: 107
- Physical description
- ALS 2pp
Please cite as
Darwin Correspondence Project, “Letter no. 3466,” accessed on 23 April 2024, https://www.darwinproject.ac.uk/letter/?docId=letters/DCP-LETT-3466.xml
Also published in The Correspondence of Charles Darwin, vol. 10