From F. C. Donders 14 July 1872
Utrecht,
14 July 1872
My dear and most honoured Sir,—
I am very much obliged for your kind letter, and delayed only to answer, whilst I could not tell you, if I was to come over to England.1 Now I am exceedingly fatigued by practical work, my friend Dr. Snellen, my partner in practice having been obliged to take a rather long holiday, and I feel that after his return—at the 16 of July—I have to spend a few days quietly near the sea, for seeing if I become able to support the fatigues of a Congress (opthalmological) at the 1st. of August in London.2 Certainly, I hope so, and in the case I come in London, I will be most happy to avail my-self of your kind invitation to pass a day in your house and in your family. So we would find plenty time to speak about some physiological questions, if you like to do so. I suppose that my friend Bowman will like very much to come also.3
I think, it is not necessary to tell you again that it will be a pleasure and a great honour to me, at any time, to do for facilitating your physiological studies any thing I am able to do. I am always learning by trying to answer to your questions and I would do it not less by reading over some chapters of your book.—4
With the greatest consideration and sincere attachment | Yours very truly | Donders
Footnotes
Bibliography
Expression: The expression of the emotions in man and animals. By Charles Darwin. London: John Murray. 1872.
Summary
Thanks CD for invitation but declines because of his need for a rest instead of coming to England in July.
Repeats his offer to help CD at any time. "I am always learning by trying to answer your questions."
Letter details
- Letter no.
- DCP-LETT-8411
- From
- Frans Cornelis (Franciscus Cornelius) Donders
- To
- Charles Robert Darwin
- Sent from
- Utrecht
- Source of text
- DAR 162: 233
- Physical description
- ALS 3pp
Please cite as
Darwin Correspondence Project, “Letter no. 8411,” accessed on 15 May 2024, https://www.darwinproject.ac.uk/letter/?docId=letters/DCP-LETT-8411.xml
Also published in The Correspondence of Charles Darwin, vol. 20