RECORD: Darwin, Emma. [1859.11.30-12.04]. Letter to William Erasmus Darwin. CUL-DAR210.6.52. Edited by John van Wyhe (Darwin Online, http://darwin-online.org.uk/)
REVISION HISTORY: Transcribed by Christine Chua and edited by John van Wyhe 8.2023. RN1
NOTE: See record in the Darwin Online manuscript catalogue, enter its Identifier here. Reproduced with permission of the Syndics of Cambridge University Library and William Huxley Darwin. The volume CUL-DAR210.6 contains correspondence of William Erasmus Darwin and family correspondence (1851-1896).
Darwin's last letter to William is dated by the Correspondence Project as 23 October to 20 November.
Susan Darwin (1803-1866), Darwin's unmarried older sister. Lived at the family home The Mount until her death.
"Parker, The Misses, Two illegitimate daughters of Erasmus Darwin [I], Susanna and Mary Jr., by Mary Parker, a governess. CD's aunts."
"Thorley, Maria Emily, 1832?-1917. Listed as Governess at Down House in 1856."
"Pugh, Mary Ann, ?-1895. 1857 Jan. 8 - 1859 Jan. 27 Governess at Down House."
"1859 Nov. 24 Origin, London, John Murray, 1,250 copies (F373). This is the first of CD's books for which details of author's presentation copies are available. CD's list is in DAR201.18 and reveals that ninety copies of the first edition were sent out."
"Mudie's lending library, A lending and subscription library founded by Charles Edward Mudie (1818-90). The library bought 500 copies of the first edition of Origin in Nov. 1859."
"Cumberland Place, Regent's Park, London. 1868 no. 1, house of CD's cousin Hensleigh Wedgwood." (Paul van Helvert & John van Wyhe, Darwin: A Companion, 2021.)
[1]
Shrewsbury [30 November to 4 December 1859]
My dear William
It is very long since I have written to you but I hope your father has behaved better.
We have had a very comf. visit here & Aunt Susan I hope does not suffer many agonies from the boys. Etty & I found it rather trying to have to eat 2 dinners a day, but it is wonderful how we are reconciled to it.
[1v]
Mary Parker is much more sociable than she used to be & we get on very well. She takes the children out for long walks.
Charles P. is very nice & good natured. Frank P. is coming today. We went to a concert one day & heard some very ugly singing which put the Shrewsbury school boys into an extasy. Mme Ruderdorf
[2]
was the Prima donna & she sings well tho' rather screechy. Emily Thorley is with us & we have a little music every evening. Miss Pugh comes to stay a week with us after we return home. Your father has sent the 2nd edition to be printed & I suppose we shall be having those blessed proof sheets again as soon as we return home.
It is a wonderful thing
[2v]
the whole edition selling off at once & Mudie taking 500 copies. Your father says he shall never think small beer of himself again & that candidly he does think it very well written.
How soon shall you be coming Cumberland T. is to Christmas at Barlaston. Poor old Gingo [George] has been obliged to decline several invitation to Cumberland owing to the row at the school.
Your father is wonderfully well, but hates all his fellow creatures to a great degree
[from page 1:] we go home on Tuesday so write home. Etty stays a week in Cumberland. She is much better.
Citation: John van Wyhe, ed. 2002-. The Complete Work of Charles Darwin Online. (http://darwin-online.org.uk/)
File last updated 15 October, 2023