Says Hooker does not want plant.
Says Hooker does not want plant.
Thanks father for loan. Explains difficulty of acquiring the land through which the approach to Down House now runs.
Robert Brown has cast much doubt on the integrity of the seed-planting experiment.
Comments on GRW’s paper [Rep. BAAS (1843): 65–7; Ann. & Mag. Nat. Hist. 12 (1843): 399–412]. CD says by "link" between any two groups he never understood a half-way link, merely one in a long series. Observes that one cannot have a simple species intermediate between two great families. Criticises GRW’s use of circles to represent groups, which leads to thinking that groups are of equal value.
Thanks SD for some furniture. Describes arrangement of furnishing at Down and work carried out on the grounds. Children are "very full of their approaching lessons".
Describes circumstances surrounding discovery of seed in sand-pit. Encloses certificates testifying to the good character of the men involved.
Has sent WK’s paper to the Annals and Magazine of Natural History (Kemp 1844).
Chalcidites collected by CD are all similar to those of Europe. Mentions other specimens quite different from European forms.
Thanks JDH for short sketch of botanical geography of Southern Hemisphere. Comments on his own S. American collections and observations; notes other Galapagos collections.
Henslow has sent him CD’s Galapagos plants along with Macrae’s. JDH impressed by the island endemism, which "overturns all our preconceived notions" on centres of radiation. Describes the extent, and the sharp demarcation at longitude 60° W, of the American and European Northern Hemisphere floras. CD’s plants among those he is using to do Antarctic flora. Drimys winteri shows a graded series of states down the length of the South American continent.
Description and defence of his view of the tosca in Banda Oriental, along the Rio Uruguay and at the Rio Negro, taking issue with A. D. d’Orbigny. Refers to the pumice in the Patagonian Territory. Two tables show the layered tosca formation along the Uruguay.
"You will have been sorry to have seen in the newspapers, the disturbances & fightings with the New Zealanders. – I have lately been much interested in reading your chapters on the slow decrease in numbers … of these poor people. The case appears to me very curious, especially as the decrease has commenced or continued since the introduction of the potato – the relation between the amount of population & of food is hence inverted. It would have been a case for the great Malthus to have reflected on".
No summary available.
Owing to ill health has had to quit H.M. service at the Cape and has been residing with his brother. Intends applying for the position of curator of the herbarium at Trinity College, Dublin, and would welcome a testimonial from JH. Sending this letter c/o W. J. Hooker as he does not know JH's address.
Believes the enclosed letter from W. H. Harvey refers to his candidature for a position in Dublin College. Thinks him a worthy candidate. Would like to show the Herschels round Kew anytime.
Regarding the habits and flowering of Cape bulbs. Has just had a good collection from the Cape. The Dublin post is still vacant.
Would like his views on a name for the combination of hydrogen and chlorine. Comments on the various theories. Has replied to [L. F.] Moser.
A letter of even greater urgency about the very serious state of health of Madame Gerlach, the aunt of NS [see JH's 1843-10-20]. Madame Gerlach is living with the Herschels [as tutor? or governess?].
As JH has not heard from NS, he has arranged for Madame Gerlach to stay with Mrs. Mason, now living in part of JH's former residence at Slough. But under no circumstances can Madame Gerlach return to her duties with JH's family.
May he submit JH's name as a candidate for the Honorary membership of the Literary Society; gives list of the other candidates.