Success of the memorial for Wallace. Sends letter from Gladstone.

Congratulates THH on appointment as Inspector of Fisheries.

CD expresses his great pleasure at WEG’s letter informing him that Wallace has been granted a pension.

Good news from Gladstone [concerning pension for Wallace]. Duke of Argyll’s private note greatly influenced Gladstone.

Has heard that Gladstone will recommend A. R. [Wallace] for a pension. Thanks the Duke for having written to Gladstone on the matter.

Sends photograph.

Congratulates CD on success of Wallace memorial.

Butler has attacked again.

On the proprieties of thanking Gladstone and the signers of the memorial.

All his advisers agree that CD ought not to take notice of Butler’s attack.

F. M. Balfour has offered to translate EK’s reply to Butler and to send it to Nature. [The letter was published in Nature 23 (1881): 288.]

Letter of introduction for Montagu Lubbock.

Asks whether sheep and cattle grazing on a steep slope move across the slope horizontally or ascend it.

Discusses allegation [about Erasmus Darwin] made by Samuel Butler. Will value LS’s verdict highly.

Asks FMB to translate letter from Ernst Krause [answering criticisms by Samuel Butler] and to send it to Nature [ "Unconscious memory – Mr Samuel Butler" 23 (1881): 288].

Thanks LS for his advice and his kind note. When CD thinks how he has been treated he will say to himself "so good a judge as Leslie Stephen thinks nothing of the accusation".

Discusses earthworm activity

and animal grazing on slopes.

Thanks WO for copying and translating [unspecified] passages. CD knew nothing about them, but doubts they are of real use. Passage about summer solstice may indicate something new.

Asks THF to obtain sample of chalk immediately below vegetable mould at Abinger.

Sends address of A. R. Wallace. Comments on Wallace’s pension.

[Ernst Krause’s] letter to Nature ["Unconscious memory – Mr Samuel Butler", 23 (1881): 288] has been dispatched.

Gladstone has dated Wallace’s pension from last July, "which is splendid".

Glad WB has arrived in Brazil. Suggests study of insects and study of fertilisation in Melastomataceae. Want of books is not a serious evil.

Discusses JHF’s investigations of animals’ sense of direction. Suggests experiment involving magnetism.