Charles Robert Darwin to GHL, Freshwater, 28 July [1868]
Title
Charles Robert Darwin to GHL, Freshwater, 28 July [1868]
Title
Charles Robert Darwin to GHL, Freshwater, 28 July [1868]
Sender
Charles Robert Darwin
Recipient
George Henry Lewes
Date(s)
- 1868-07-28
Place
Freshwater
Letter Content
Charles Robert Darwin to GHL, Freshwater, 28 July [1868]
MS: Cambridge University Library. Only the signature is in Darwin's hand.
&unknown;Down. | Bromley. | Kent. S.E.&unknown;
Freshwater I. of Wight | July 28.
My dear Mr. Lewes
I need not say that I have been much pleased by your note. The friendless value friends, and Pangenesis has but few, though deserving I feel sure some good friends. Hooker seems to think that the whole view is almost self-obvious, but I cannot agree to this, for it is now about 28 years since I began to try to tie together the various forms of generations, the repairs of injuries, inheritance etc. and succeeded only about two years ago.
You will see that I am away from home. 790 my health failed about a month ago, so that I could do nothing, and I came here for absolute idleness. Nevertheless I sent this morning to my servant at Down in the hope that he would be able to find the Fortnightly Review. If he succeeds I shall enjoy slowly beginning to read all the articles again and will make any notes which may occur to me, but as I do not suppose I shall read for more than 'bd an hour a day I shall be very slow. I fear moreover that we differ so fundamentally on one important point that my remarks will be of no use to you, and I do not think I shall have many on any other point to make.
I am delighted to hear that you intend publishing the articles as a separate book; whilst reading them I thought over and over again what a pity it was that they should be almost lost in a periodical. 791
When I return home in about a month's time I will not forget to send you a photograph, and I should be very much obliged if you would send me yours, as it is always very satisfactory to have an image of one's correspondent in one's mind. Believe me
Yours very faithfully
Charles Darwin.
MS: Cambridge University Library. Only the signature is in Darwin's hand.
&unknown;Down. | Bromley. | Kent. S.E.&unknown;
Freshwater I. of Wight | July 28.
My dear Mr. Lewes
I need not say that I have been much pleased by your note. The friendless value friends, and Pangenesis has but few, though deserving I feel sure some good friends. Hooker seems to think that the whole view is almost self-obvious, but I cannot agree to this, for it is now about 28 years since I began to try to tie together the various forms of generations, the repairs of injuries, inheritance etc. and succeeded only about two years ago.
You will see that I am away from home. 790 my health failed about a month ago, so that I could do nothing, and I came here for absolute idleness. Nevertheless I sent this morning to my servant at Down in the hope that he would be able to find the Fortnightly Review. If he succeeds I shall enjoy slowly beginning to read all the articles again and will make any notes which may occur to me, but as I do not suppose I shall read for more than 'bd an hour a day I shall be very slow. I fear moreover that we differ so fundamentally on one important point that my remarks will be of no use to you, and I do not think I shall have many on any other point to make.
I am delighted to hear that you intend publishing the articles as a separate book; whilst reading them I thought over and over again what a pity it was that they should be almost lost in a periodical. 791
When I return home in about a month's time I will not forget to send you a photograph, and I should be very much obliged if you would send me yours, as it is always very satisfactory to have an image of one's correspondent in one's mind. Believe me
Yours very faithfully
Charles Darwin.
Signature
Charles Darwin.
Citation
Charles Robert Darwin, Charles Robert Darwin to GHL, Freshwater, 28 July [1868], Complete George Eliot Letters(2026), George Eliot Archive, edited by Beverley Park Rilett. https://GeorgeEliotArchive.org, Accessed September 7, 2026. https://www.georgeeliotarchive.org/items/show/91757