On CD’s paper ["Complemental males of certain cirripedes", Collected papers 2: 177–82].

Comments on paper by W. H. Dallinger and J. J. Drysdale ["Life history of a Cercomonad", Mon. Microsc. J. 10 (1873): 53–8].

Discusses origin of life, the Gastraea theory and concept that primary germ layers are homologous in all animals. Notes similar views of E. Ray Lankester ["On the primitive cell-layers of the embryo", Ann. & Mag. Nat. Hist. 4th ser. 11 (1873): 321–38].

Reception of Darwinism in Germany.

Thanks AB for his review of Expression [May 1873, in The senses and the intellect, 3d ed. (1874), pp. 697–714]. Admits vagueness of some points. Has never grasped AB’s principle of spontaneity. But, as they look at everything so differently, it is not likely that they should agree closely.

A recent review by T. S. Baynes, [Edinburgh Rev. 137 (1873): 492–528] is "magnificently contemptuous" toward CD and many others.

The results of EF’s tests for acids in the secretion of Drosera are largely negative [see Insectivorous plants, p. 88].

Has got a cold, so will not go to Kew. Wrote to Hartnack about price of microscopes and describes own model. Told Hooker about Tisley Spiller’s microscope in Paris.

Asks GHD whether he can tell him what inclination a polished or waxy leaf ought to hold to the horizon in order to let vertical rain rebound off as much as possible.

Sends notes on waxy secretion on leaves for F. M. Balfour; cannot procure any more Dionaea.

On bodies of varying elasticity bouncing off inclined planes [see 9096].

Sends some litmus paper for CD.

Feeding habits of the tobacco worm; it eats only five plants, all very different, but of same botanical family.

Describes work on Nepenthes – more difficult than Drosera.

Has written to Dublin for a Drosophyllum.

Sends an essay ["Mikrogeologische Studien über das kleinste Leben der Meeres-Tiefgründe aller Zonen und dessen geologischen Einfluss", Abhandlungen der Preussischen Akademie der Wissenschaften zu Berlin (1873): 131-98.]

with expressions of admiration. CGE is confident their differences will not estrange them.

Remembers with gratitude the [Atlantic] dust that CD made available to him in 1844 [see 747].

Gratified that a man of JD’s experience agrees with him.

Would enjoy seeing him at Down but it could only be for a half-hour’s talk at most, because of his health.

CD gives his criticisms of GHD’s essay on religion and the moral sense. Urges him to delay publishing for some months and then to consider whether it is new and important enough to counterbalance the effects of its publication. J. S. Mill would never have influenced the age as he has done had he not refrained from expressing his religious convictions. Cites John Morley’s Life of Voltaire [1872]: direct attacks produce little effect; real good comes from slow and silent side attacks. "My advice is to pause, pause, pause."

Lists observations he would like FD to make on the dried species of Desmodium at Kew.

Neptunia is evidently a hopeless case.

Good news that fluid of Nepenthes is acid.

No discovery ever gave him more pleasure than proving a true act of digestion in Drosera.

Has become profoundly interested in Desmodium. Asks whether Frank [Darwin] can look over the whole dried collection of the genus.

Has JDH any seed of Lathyrus nissolia?

Further details on inheritance of an eyelid abnormality.

Wants FD to look at the little lateral leaflets of Desmodium. CD has "a wild hypothesis that the little leaflets may be tendrils reconverted into leaflets".

"It is a fearfully difficult moral problem about speaking out on religion, & I have never been able to make up my mind."

An Irishman, a "grand breeder" of short-horns, declared at lunch that CD’s books had been "a great help to [him] in breeding!"

Suggests experiments to try [with Nepenthes].

Asks JDH to test whether cabbage seeds and peas exposed to the ferment germinate.

Cancel: same as 9523.

Describes his experiments on Nepenthes; finds action analogous to that in Drosera.