RECORD: Cresy, Mary to Francis Darwin. 1882.04.03. CUL-DAR198.44. (John van Wyhe ed., 2002-. The Complete Work of Charles Darwin Online, http://darwin-online.org.uk/)
REVISION HISTORY: Transcribed and edited by John van Wyhe 2.2026. RN1
NOTE: See record in the Darwin Online manuscript catalogue, enter its Identifier here. Reproduced with permission of the Syndics of Cambridge University Library. The folder CUL-DAR198 contains letters, mostly to Francis Darwin, regarding his appeals for letters from Darwin in order to create Life and letters (1887).
Mary Louis Cresy (1820-1888) was the wife of Edward Cresy (1824-1870). In 1871 Darwin donated £50 to the Cresy Memorial Fund. (Darwin's account book (Down House MS) 24 March 1871 — "donation subscription for Mrs Cresy").
[44]
My dear Sir
Allow me to thank you very kindly for the papers you have returned & for the kind consideration you shew for me; there is nothing in the papers which would affect my husbands memory in any way, you are welcome to do whatever you please with them, to use any you find useful & leave out if no avail. They only shew your
[44v]
father's real interest he took in all those he honoured with his friendship & there was no one more devoted to them than my husband & I must heartily join in the same feeling, although my knowledge of him was of much later date but his love of truth & the modesty almost too great; with which he held his opinion, must have endeared him to all who knew him.
I shall hope to read the life when it is out, but I need not trouble you to send anything for my approval I leave it with full confidence in your hands, I remain
[44b]
yours truly obliged
Mary Cresy
21 Montpellier Sq
South Kensington
3 April 1883
Citation: John van Wyhe, ed. 2002-. The Complete Work of Charles Darwin Online. (http://darwin-online.org.uk/)
File last updated 24 February, 2026