My dear Sir John

You are quite right in believing that I never had any intention to slight M^r. Ffinden; nor have I slighted him.¹

When I wrote to the Privy Council I had never heard of the rule that School Boards should correspond solely through the Chairman; but I cannot believe that a parishioner may not independently ask a question with respect to a subject not as yet brought before a School Board, or a voluntary Committee, as in our case.² Had this been the rule, I should either have received a reprimand or been answered through the Chairman.

The affair about the repairs is simply ridiculous. I sent a message to M^r. Town, asking him to complete the repairs as soon as possible, that the room might be used, and was told that they would cost £5.³ I assumed, but without making any enquiry, that this higher estimate had been agreed on, and when M^r. T. sent me his bill for £5, I told him to apply to the School Committee. After a considerable interval he informed me that only £4 had been paid; and then I learnt, for the first time, that I had ordered repairs beyond the agreement, and of course immediately paid the extra £1 myself.—⁴ This happened several weeks ago.

It is very good of you to endeavour to restore peace in the village, and you are at full liberty to say that I had never any intention of showing any disrespect to M^r. Ffinden; but I cannot apologise, for I do not think any apology is due on my part.

M^r. Ffinden accused me in the vestry of having made false statements, and when asked what they were, answered that I said that the Schoolroom had been previously lent as a Reading Room for one year less than had really occurred: so that I merely understated my grounds for repeating the request. On the following day he wrote officially to M^rs. Darwin, and again affirmed that I had made several mistatements.⁵ This is conduct which a man does not commonly pass over without some sort of apology.— Nevertheless if M^r. Ffinden bows to M^rs. Darwin or myself we will return it; but I fear under present circumstances that we can take no further step.

I have troubled you with a very long letter on this paltry affair. | My dear Sir John | Yours sincerely | Charles Darwin