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A fine letter in which Darwin thanks Lady Nevill for her kindness and assistance in supplying him with plants, and  mentioning his forthcoming work on orchids [On the Various Contrivances by which British and Foreign Orchids are Fertilised by Insects] which he had promised to send her when it was published. 

 

“…I am pleased to hear that my Books have at all interested you; but I fear my little Orchid book will be dry. This summer when at the sea, I meant merely to write a paper for some scientific journal, but the subject grew on me till my M.S. got rather too long for a paper. I am convinced that orchids have a wicked power of witchcraft, for I ought all these months to be working at the dry old bones of poultry, pigeons, and rabbits instead of intensely admiring beautiful orchids. - I mention all this, because, though I can hardly bear to write the words, I must beg your Ladyship not to send any more of your treasures; though perhaps at some future period I may indulge myself with the examination of a few more orchids. - I will not forget your Ladyships most generous offer to give me other flowers, if I require them for observation, & I have no doubt that I shall some time be a beggar again of the beauties - I am truly obliged to your Ladyship for taking the truth to write to Mr. Veitch [Chelsea nursery firm of James Veitch]; who has already sent me some orchids & with much generosity refused[?] all payment for cut flowers. -  I see in ‘Cottage Gardner’ of this morning, an account of the beauties of Dangstein, which I shall now read with interest.”

 

Darwin also sends his regards to naturalist Arthur Edward Knox and paleontologist Sir Philip Egerton: “If your Ladyship should meet Mr [Arthur Edward] Knox I hope that you will remember me to him: I spent many years ago a very pleasant morning with him & Sir Philip Egerton at the Zoological Gardens…”  In a postscript he adds: “Since writing I have reason to hope that I shall receive a flower of Mormodes from Mr Rucker of Wandsworth”.

 

Lady Dorothy Fanny Nevill (1826-1913), the daughter of Horatio Walpole, 3rd Earl of Orford, developed a notable garden at Dangstein near Petersfield, where she cultivated orchids and pitcher-plants. Nevill was provided Darwin with samples of, and observations from, her garden. In Insectivorous Plants (1875) Darwin credited Lady Nevill with having sent him an Australian plant and a utricularia montana. In her Reminiscences, Nevill noted that she had maintained correspondence with Darwin, William Hooker, and Joseph Hooker, all of whom she felt had an avid interest in her garden.