The Complete Work of Charles Darwin Online

RECORD: Sulivan, Henry Norton. 1909.05.27. Letter to Leonard Darwin. McGill-CA-OSLER0-P110[.69]. 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 Osler Library of the History of Medicine, McGill University. See the Introduction and catalogue to the J.C. Simpson collection by John van Wyhe.

The picture is a water-colour painting entitled "Within sight of the Andes" the boats with FitzRoy and Darwin ascending the Santa Cruz river in 1833. The painting itself is not dated and was attributed to W. O. Brierley (1817-1894) when it was exhibited at Christ's College for the Darwin Exhibition in June 1909 with a note "Lent by H. N. Sulivan, Esq. (son of Admiral Sir B. Sulivan)" in Shipley, & Simpson eds. Darwin centenary: the portraits, prints and writings of Charles Robert Darwin, exhibited at Christ's College, Cambridge 1909, p. 5. However, the original was by Conrad Martens so tha the one lent by Sulivan was either a copy or misattributed. Sulivan gives a different title for the painting as "In sight of the Andes".

Leonard Darwin (1850-1943), the last of the Darwin children to pass away, was twice married and did not have any children. The 'nephew' referred to is the son of George Darwin (1845-1912), Charles Galton Darwin (1887-1962), F.R.S., Plumian Professor of Astronomy at Cambridge.

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[in Shipley's hand:] answered accepting AES

Stirling House

S. Farnborough

23 May. 9

Dear Major Darwin,

I am glad to see that there is to be a celebration of your honoured Father's centenary at Cambridge.

I have a painting by Brierley of the boat Expedition up the Chupat river, of which there is a print in the 'Beagles'

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'voyage.' I should be happy to lend this if it would be thought of sufficient interest.

"In sight of the Andes" is the particular picture.

I daresay the S. American Missionary Society would lend any S. A. curios if desired.

You may be interested to learn of an attempt I am making to plant the Pursac from the Falkland Isles on the

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West Coast of Ireland, in accordance with my Father's idea of its suitability for the W. of Ireland & Scotland.

After ten year's trials I have at length succeeded in procuring 50 plants from Mr Vere Pache, which have been put in by the Botanical Dept. of the Royal Society of Dublin in their Western gardens. I am expecting 50 more next month, which

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Sir J. Colonet wants to try in an Island off Newman, where there are no cattle to destroy it.

I trust we may eventually succeed in making the plant of value to those poor districts.

I hope your son (a nephew?) will carry off the Senior Wrangleship. It would be a grand celebration of the Centenary!

Very much yours

H. N. Sulivan.

Citation: John van Wyhe, ed. 2002-. The Complete Work of Charles Darwin Online. (http://darwin-online.org.uk/)