Since he was innocent of sending the Botanische Zeitung to CD, he inquired of the editor, who informs him that it is sent every week by post by order of Williams and Norgate.
Since he was innocent of sending the Botanische Zeitung to CD, he inquired of the editor, who informs him that it is sent every week by post by order of Williams and Norgate.
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.
Sends short testimonial [missing] for RBS, but doubts its value as he has has already given one for the same office [to A. G. Butler, see 11888].
Letter of recommendation for Richard Bowdler Sharpe, ornithologist.
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.
Wants to borrow Duchartre’s Éléments de botanique [1867].
Circular about the distribution of the overplus of his income and advice on investment.
Thanks CD profusely for the circular which detailed his and Emma Darwin’s plans to increase their children’s income. Thinks a few hundred really makes the difference for feeling really rich, especially as he now knows how important it is for bankers to have available personal savings.
Describes health-related arguments for vegetarianism. Notes arguments that anthropoid apes are vegetarians. Asks whether man is sufficiently adapted to mixed diet so that meat is not harmful?
Encloses a press clipping [missing] of his observations [on stem structure?].
Is increasing FD’s allowance.
Has begun his chapter on sleep of plants [for Movement in plants].
Did not wish to imply that some leaves are insensitive to light, only that he could not measure their sensitivity. Contraction of roots seems common.
Has not been able to complete Bohemian edition of Origin because of trip to Africa.
Is collecting zoological evidence for CD’s theory.
Discusses the value of a vegetable diet.
Thanks for book [Duchartre, Éléments de botanique].
CAL’s letter [see 11885] would not be printed by the Geological Society as it is too speculative and has no new information.
Encloses his photograph.
Thanks for sending him work on the skull.
Is applying for the Chair of Botany at Edinburgh and asks CD for a testimonial.
Details of publications by G. H. Darwin.
Sends results of the first year’s experiments with the Russian wheat varieties sent by CD [see 11483].