Has heard that CL has spoken to John Murray about publication [of Origin]. Encloses prospective title-page. Asks whether he ought to tell John Murray about unorthodoxy of the book.
Showing 41–60 of 184 items
Has heard that CL has spoken to John Murray about publication [of Origin]. Encloses prospective title-page. Asks whether he ought to tell John Murray about unorthodoxy of the book.
CD is grateful to CL for his help in arranging with Murray for publication [of Origin]. Sorry Murray objects to term "abstract" in title, but will defer to him and CL.
Discusses S. S. Haldeman’s paper ["Enumeration of the recent freshwater Mollusca", Boston J. Nat. Hist. 4 (1844): 468–84].
Centres of species origin.
Describes his corrections of Origin.
Thanks CL for copy of his paper ["Structure of lavas", Philos. Trans. R. Soc. Lond. 148 (1858): 703–86].
Promises him a copy of Origin.
CL’s research on flint tools.
Promises to send proof-sheets of Origin. Discusses his view of species.
Ill health of himself and his family.
Thanks CL for his favourable remarks to the Geological Section of the BAAS concerning the forthcoming publication of the Origin. Hopes CL will accept his view of species.
Comments on CL’s paper ["On the occurrence of works of human art in post-Pliocene deposits", Rep. BAAS 29 (1859): 93–5].
Discusses text of Origin.
Compares Eocene and modern climates.
Mentions Hooker’s view of his geographical [distribution] chapters.
Asks CL’s opinion of his statements on distribution during "glacial and preceding warmer periods".
Mentions chapters on geological record and embryology.
Is sending off last proof-sheets of Origin.
Asks CL’s opinion of final chapter. Mentions difficulties of his argument.
Is too unwell to start for Ilkley.
Murray’s printing of 1250 copies seems too large to CD.
Comments on CL’s letters.
Discusses foreign animals naturalised in Australia and elsewhere.
Affirms man’s capacity to survive in Eocene climate.
Comments on American types.
Denies necessity for "continued intervention of creative power".
Discusses P. S. Pallas’ theory of origin of domestic dog breeds. CD believes domestic dogs descended from more than one aboriginal wild species but ultimately "we believe all canine species have descended from one parent and the only question is whether the whole or only part of difference in our domestic breeds has arisen since man domesticated them".
Races of man offer great difficulty. The doctrine of Pallas and Agassiz that there are several species "does not help us" in the least.
Hopes Henry Holland will not review Origin.
CD’s and CL’s difference on "principle of improvement" and "power of adaptation" is profound. Improvement in breeds of cattle requires neither. Urges him to reread first four chapters of Origin carefully. Natural selection is not to be contrasted with "improvement": every step involves improvement in relation to the conditions of life. There is no need for a "principle" to intervene.
Further discussion of origin of domestic dog breeds.
Effects of crossing separate races.
Comments on rate of artificial and natural selection.
The origin of pigeon breeds.
Thanks CL for his decision to accept CD’s "doctrine of modification" [in Elements of geology, 6th ed. (1865)]. Believes it "morally impossible that investigators of truth, like you and Hooker, can be wholly wrong". Does not think CL’s decision will injure his works.
Thinks CL overrates importance of multiple origin of dogs.
Mentions sending copy of Origin to Herschel. Asks CL about Herschel’s reaction.
Sales of Origin.
Discusses revisions for second edition. Mentions possible French translation.
Views of Quatrefages [de Bréau].
Discusses corrections for second edition [of Origin]. Will leave out the reference to whale and bear. Discusses pheasant crosses. Success of the book.
Encloses letter from Adam Sedgwick [2548].
Mentions conversion of A. C. Ramsay.
Comments on note from Charles Kingsley saying CD’s theory is not opposed to a high conception of the Deity.
Mentions negative views of Origin of Sedgwick, John Crawfurd, Roderick Murchison, John Phillips, and Joseph Prestwich.
Encloses a letter from FitzRoy to the Times.
Mentions letter from W. B. Carpenter accepting single progenitor for major animal classes.
Speculates about Richard Owen’s opinion.
Discuss CL’s suggestions for revisions to the chapter on the geological record [Origin, ch. 9].
Henry Holland’s reaction to the book.
Comments on CL’s work on flint tools of early men.
Describes at length a conversation with Owen concerning Origin. Notes "that at bottom he goes immense way with us", but emphasises Owen’s unfriendly manner. Remarks that Owen accepted a relationship between bears and whales. "By Jove I believe he thinks a sort of Bear was the grandpapa of Whales!"
Has heard Herschel considered his book "the law of higgledy-piggledy".
Comments on Hooker’s introductory essay [in Flora Tasmaniae].
Cites C. V. Naudin’s article ["Considérations philosophiques sur l’espèce et la variété", Rev. Hortic. 4th ser. 1 (1852): 102–9].
Mentions letter from William Jardine criticising discussion of the Galapagos in the Origin.
Mentions William Clift ["Report in regard to the fossil bones found in New Holland", Edinburgh New Philos. J. 10 (1830–1): 394–6].
Discusses relations between fossil and living types.
Discusses Hooker’s introductory essay [in Flora Tasmaniae]. Criticises Hooker’s views on flora of rising and sinking islands.