Sending tickets for Zoological. Has had a pleasant week at Hurstpierpoint. Two Convolvulus Hawks caught. Willie has been sent a D. celeris. Shall be able to attend the fungus meeting of Meldola's club this year.
Asking about weight of volcanic dust particles and distance these are carried. Also wants samples of ash e.g. from Krakatoa. Needs evidence for question of dispersal of seeds by wind currents. Has agreed to give 8 lectures in Boston.
Will meet Violet on Saturday and take her to South Kensington museum. Will then meet Judd. Arrangements for journey home.
Wants a bed on Monday or Tuesday night. Have taken Willie to school. If Meldola isn't at home when ARW arrives, he can play chess Meldola's mother or Mr. Warburg quite contentedly.
Would Meldola like to go to a dance at Mrs Haywards on Tuesday, with Mrs Wallace and Violet? Regards to Meldola's mother.
About Meldola's trip to the Lake District. Has finished the Lowell lectures. Has only four political and social lectures to write. The opening lecture that he has offered to give at Loughton, is illustrated by diagrams, rather than lantern slides. Has arranged to exhibit slides to the Charterhouse boys and masters. Writing a criticism of Romanes' article on Darwin in journal of the Linnean Society, as "I consider it very imperfect." Willie's experiences at Cranleigh. ARW went to their speech day.
His reply to Romanes will appear in the Fortnightly. Thinks he has shown the entire fallacy of his whole argument, and also thinks that he has hit upon the true key to the solution. Calls Romanes' writing style tedious and long-winded.
Meldola's reply to Romanes in Nature does not go far enough. Newton calls attention to same view in Belt's Nicaragua. Darwin had commented No! No! against this in his copy. Could Meldola hold a brief for ARW at the British Association on this matter? In depth discussion of the content of his paper against Romanes in the Fortnightly.
Comments on lectures and American hotels. Has been shown around the Museum of Comparative Anatomy by Agassiz. Comments on this and on Peabody Museum of Archaeology. Approves of the arrangements which accord with the principles ARW outlined 20 years earlier i.e. a series of public rooms but bulk of material kept for research students in drawers, each region in separate rooms. Has read a paper before National Academy of Sciences (Professor Morse -President). Dined with Dr. Holmes and Professor Langley.
Description of American travels; the best thing that he has seen are the pine forests and the majestic Sequoias. Wry comments on Americans. A splendid country to travel in, but a poor country to live in. Discusses weather conditions.
Asking if the British Association keep a list of lecture engagements, as ARW would like a few engagements for the coming winter.
Enclosed ticket has been sent to ARW by Hampden. the Dialectical Society "are allowing him to expose his ignorance and absurdities." Will Meldola go and see what Hampden has to say? Busy with arrears of correspondence and reading, plus volume on Australasia. Problems with eyesight.
Will not be able to attend the "fungus foray", as have builders at work at home. Sorry that Meldola had a wasted evening with Hampden, thought the Dialectical Society meeting would lead to some "excellent fooling.".
Can Violet stay with him at Meldola's, as she wishes to attend the Converzatione with her father?.
Sending revisions of chapter on mimicry.
Is going to Newcastle next Saturday, and also has a lecture at Sale, near Manchester on Tuesday. Has started on his work on popular Darwinism.
Encloses postage for umbrella Meldola returned. Has had a breakthrough with his hybridity chapter ... "in some cases nat. select. will accumulate variations in infertility between incipient species." Thinks he has made the issue a good deal clearer than Darwin left it.
ARW has been in Penzance, Land's End, Chepstow and Coleford with Annie. Details of holiday. Spent a week with Marianne North at Alderley.
The Meldola's are welcome to stay. Wants set of examination papers for the college entrance exam for Willie's mathematical master. ARW wants Willie to enter college in the mechanical engineering department in a year's time.
Can one of Meldola's pupils or assistants weigh some seeds for him in decimals? Has finished MS of his book.