Frank Chance (1826–1897)
Letter to Charles Darwin
London, [before 25 April 1871]
MS DAR 89:198–9

Chance reveals that he was encouraged to write because of what he saw in Darwin’s scientific method: ‘you constantly record exceptions to your own rules’ and ‘you are not one of those who suppress or ignore facts which tell against you’. Darwin annotated the letter: ‘I believe his explanation true, that he inherited the dark almost black beard from the maternal side—colour of eyes & Hair from paternal side.’