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Darwin Correspondence Project

From O. G. Rejlander   15 December 1874

1, | Albert Mansions, | Victoria Street, | S.W.

Dec 15/74

My dear Sir

I dare say I shall not see you again—see the enclosed emaciated figs.—1 Altho’ friends say I want no more Doctors but good looks— But I have a good thing to tell you and a good thing to give you—if I can send it—safely to a Town-adr.s—

The telling is this: the other cold night I was awoke out of my first slumber by the vigorous attack on the wainscote by a rat or big mouse— I was too ill to get up & had nothing to throw at the place so I bethought myself of what I had tried before—successefuly—but taken to be chance or coincident— I mewed, very-like a Cat. and the mouse stopped ceased its labor to get in for a warming expecting to be pounced upon— — After some time my wife2—I did not know she was awake—jogged me with her elbow and laughed out-right— “Well I never” “She’s gone— I couldn’t have believed it— I did not believe it when you told me before”

I laid awake for hours afterwards—but no mousie— I have drawn my conclusion   You will draw yours.

What I have to give you is a groupe of stuffed sparrows. i.e. A hen with a little one on either side—with fluttering wings—feeding—one at a time— I saw it 15 years ago when my dog brought the crumbs for the birds— I sketched it then but have this year got it represented like Nature—

I am yours very truly | O G Rejlander

Chas. Darwin Esqr

Footnotes

The enclosures have not been found. Rejlander died of Bright’s disease (nephritis) on 18 January 1875 (ODNB; Prodger 2009, p. 202).

Bibliography

ODNB: Oxford dictionary of national biography: from the earliest times to the year 2000. (Revised edition.) Edited by H. C. G. Matthew and Brian Harrison. 60 vols. and index. Oxford: Oxford University Press. 2004.

Prodger, Phillip. 2009. Darwin’s camera: art and photography in the theory of evolution. Oxford: Oxford University Press.

Summary

Awakened by a mouse scratching at night, he mewed like a cat and the mouse disappeared.

Sending a group of stuffed sparrows.

Letter details

Letter no.
DCP-LETT-9761
From
Oscar Gustaf Rejlander
To
Charles Robert Darwin
Sent from
London, Victoria St
Source of text
DAR 176: 118
Physical description
ALS 3pp

Please cite as

Darwin Correspondence Project, “Letter no. 9761,” accessed on 28 March 2024, https://www.darwinproject.ac.uk/letter/?docId=letters/DCP-LETT-9761.xml

Also published in The Correspondence of Charles Darwin, vol. 22

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