Has sent copy of his new book, Colour-sense [1879]; in anticipation of criticism, he justifies his reliance on recorded observations rather than experiments, by the heavy demands of his career as a journalist.
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The Charles Darwin Collection
The Darwin Correspondence Project is publishing letters written by and to the naturalist Charles Darwin (1809–1882). Complete transcripts of letters are being made available through the Project’s website (www.darwinproject.ac.uk) after publication in the ongoing print edition of The Correspondence of Charles Darwin (Cambridge University Press 1985–). Metadata and summaries of all known letters (c. 15,000) appear in Ɛpsilon, and the full texts of available letters can also be searched, with links to the full texts.
Has sent copy of his new book, Colour-sense [1879]; in anticipation of criticism, he justifies his reliance on recorded observations rather than experiments, by the heavy demands of his career as a journalist.
Thanks for criticisms of Colour-sense.
Clarifies his views that actions desirable for species result in development of nervous organs capable of pleasurable stimulation.
Believes that all "tastes" occurring in nature are explicable with reference to ancestral habits and that none is purely arbitrary.
Thanks for postcard informing him of Delboeuf’s review of his book; he had already seen review.
Read GA’s book [The colour-sense] with "great interest". Makes criticisms and suggestions.
Cannot believe in GA’s theory of the origin of pleasure and pain.
Is glad he defends sexual selection;
CD finds A. R. Wallace’s explanations "mere empty words" and for many years he has "quite doubted [ARW’s] scientific judgment".
Considers the possible effect of environmental colour on the colour tastes of animals.
Has just read GA’s article in Fortnightly Review ["A problem of human evolution", 31 (1879): 778–86]. GA’s views very probable. Something wonderful to hear anyone defending sexual selection.
Has GA seen an article on GA’s Colour-sense by a great man, J. R. L. Delboeuf, in Revue Scientifique 24 May 1879? It has pleased CD greatly.