In a fortnight will begin to arrange notes on expression. Asks for FCD’s conclusions about the contraction of eye muscles. Is interested in abstract of FCD’s experiments on "rate of travelling of the nervous powers".
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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.
In a fortnight will begin to arrange notes on expression. Asks for FCD’s conclusions about the contraction of eye muscles. Is interested in abstract of FCD’s experiments on "rate of travelling of the nervous powers".
Expresses sympathy [on death of FCD’s daughter].
Will be grateful for his paper and letter.
Thanks FCD for information.
Hopes that translation of his paper will appear in Dublin Journal.
Notes experience of his son [Leonard Darwin] on engorgement of eyes with blood. Discusses secretion of tears when eye muscles are involuntarily contracted.
Comments on translation of FCD’s paper ["On the action of the eyelids", Arch. Med. 5 (1870): 20–38].
Speculates that closing eyelids may protect eyes from vibrations.
Discusses publication of Expression.
Comments on FCD’s 1848 work [see 7582] in which he came near to anticipating CD.
Comments on FCD’s paper [on action of the eyelids, see 7203]. Asks about contraction or dilation of the iris due to emotional states, illness, or prostration.
Thanks FCD for information about eyes [for Expression].
Must interrupt work on the subject to prepare new edition of Origin [6th].
Comments on gift of a new work by FCD [possibly "Die Projection der Gesichtserscheinung nach der Richtungslinien", Arch. Opthalmol. 17 (1871) Abt. 2: 1–68].
Comments on action of eyes in a person lost in meditation. Asks about Charles Bell’s explanation [in Anatomy of expression (1806, 1844)].
Thanks FCD for information, which will make him "strike out a good deal".
Has received German pamphlet.
Will read work by John Soelberg Wells [? A treatise on the diseases of the eye (1869, 1870)].
Discusses his work on expression.
Thanks FCD for suggested deletions in MS of Expression. Declines offer from FCD to examine proofs also.
Expresses gratitude on election to Royal Netherlands Academy.
Would be impractical to have FCD check references to physiology in proofs [of Expression]. William Bowman has checked chapter on weeping.
Invites FCD to visit Down when he comes to England in July.
Mentions publication of Expression.
Asks whether children born blind ever frown, shed tears, or contract orbicular muscles.
Congratulates FCD on his anniversary [as Professor at Utrecht].
Asks about the effect of atropine on the eye. Is interested in parallel case: influence of phosphate of ammonia on glands of Drosera.
Discusses effect of atropine solution on eye,
and effect of phosphate of ammonia solution on gland of Drosera.
Would like to see work by T. W. Engelmann and possibly one by Dr De Ruyter.
The illness and death of his daughter have delayed his answers to CD’s queries. He has, however, worked on the circulation of the eye and has almost finished a paper on it, which he will send to CD. In general, the views of Charles Bell are confirmed.
As for CD’s second query, he doubts that the relationship exists, but will answer fully in next letter.
Has finished the article [on the action of the eyelids in Ned. Arch. Geneeskd. & Natuurkd. 5 (1870), also see 7238]; summarises: the occlusion of the eyelids protects the vessels, and the eye itself, against the danger of pressure caused by excessive expiratory action. The weakness of the conclusion is that the extent of the danger caused by the pressure to the normal state of the eye is not precisely known.
A detailed description of the physiological and anatomical processes related to the prolonged involuntary contraction of the orbicular muscles and the secretion of tears (as in retching, violent coughing, or laughing). [See Expression, p. 160.].
Thanks CD for Descent.
Sends a copy of his oratio inauguralis on De harmonie van het dierlijke leven [1848] in which he espoused evolution, but did not see the influence of natural selection.
Answers to CD’s queries will take time. CD may not be aware of the influence of accommodation on the diameter of the pupil of the eye. Parrots, for example, contract or dilate the pupil independently of amount of light [see Expression, p. 304]. Sends his book on the subject [On the anomalies of accommodation and refraction of the eye (1864)].
Replies to CD’s queries on movement of the eyes in meditation, and changes in the iris in rage and terror [see Expression, pp. 229, 304].