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From George Warde Norman   20 September 1866

Bromley | Kent

20 Septr. 1866

My dear Darwin,

You are so much interested in the habits of animals, that I think you may like to peruse the Paper, which accompanies this—1

It comes from the wife of our Curate Mr. Holland an intelligent man, who lodges with a Tenant of mine—named Roots—at Bence Well on Bromley Common—2

Please to return it at your convenience—

I have known a Cat, bring up Ducks but never Squirrels before—3

I earnestly hope that you may be progressing towards perfect recovery & should like to assure myself of this, through the means of an early Visit to Down—4

With kind Regards to Mrs. Darwin—5 | Believe me | Yrs mo. truly | Geo Wde Norman

C. R. Darwin Esqre

Footnotes

1
The paper referred to has not been identified.
2
George Roots lived at Bencewell, Bromley Common, Kent (Post Office directory of the six home counties 1870). Richard George Holland became curate of Holy Trinity Church, Bromley Common, in 1866 (Crockford’s clerical directory 1868). His wife was Cecilia Faithfull Holland.
3
Evidently, the paper reported the case of a cat adopting a squirrel.
4
CD’s health had generally improved in 1866 (see, for example, letter to Robert Swinhoe, [September 1866] and n. 3). Emma Darwin’s diary (DAR 242) makes no mention of a visit by Norman, but as a neighbour of CD’s, Norman may have visited informally (see Freeman 1978, pp. 127, 216).

Bibliography

Crockford’s clerical directory: The clerical directory, a biographical and statistical book of reference for facts relating to the clergy and the church. Crockford’s clerical directory etc. London: John Crockford [and others]. 1858–1900.

Freeman, Richard Broke. 1978. Charles Darwin: a companion. Folkestone, Kent: William Dawson & Sons. Hamden, Conn.: Archon Books, Shoe String Press.

Post Office directory of the six home counties: Post Office directory of the six home counties, viz., Essex, Herts, Kent, Middlesex, Surrey and Sussex. London: W. Kelly & Co. 1845–78.

Summary

Sends a paper, by the wife of the local curate, on the habits of animals.

Letter details

Letter no.
DCP-LETT-5215
From
George Warde Norman
To
Charles Robert Darwin
Sent from
Bromley
Source of text
DAR 172: 74
Physical description
ALS 3pp

Please cite as

Darwin Correspondence Project, “Letter no. 5215,” accessed on 25 April 2024, https://www.darwinproject.ac.uk/letter/?docId=letters/DCP-LETT-5215.xml

Also published in The Correspondence of Charles Darwin, vol. 14

letter

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