Is glad to hear that Hermann Müller approves of D’AWT’s translation of his work [Die Befruchtung der Blumen (1873)]; he hopes a publisher may be found for a work of such high value.
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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.
Is glad to hear that Hermann Müller approves of D’AWT’s translation of his work [Die Befruchtung der Blumen (1873)]; he hopes a publisher may be found for a work of such high value.
Orders two bottles of "the simple Antispasmodic" and "the Glycerin Pepsin mixture". Andrew Clark wishes him to commence his physic at once.
Encloses a letter from a Mr Hill on some [unspecified] legal matter.
Describes grafting experiment of Baron de Villa Franca, which produced new varieties of sugar-cane. Encloses related documents.
Thanks GA for his article ["The daisy’s pedigree", Cornhill Mag. 44 (1881): 168–81].
The evolutionary argument that petals are transformed stamens is "striking and apparently valid". Doubts petals are naturally yellow.
Wallace’s "generalization about much modified parts being splendidly coloured" is also dubious except as both are caused by sexual selection.
Thanks VOK for a photograph and his New Year wishes.
Asks GJR’s opinion about grafting experiments on sugar-cane carried out by the Baron [de Villa Franca].
On F. M. Balfour.
Effects of ammonium carbonate on roots.
FM’s Pontederia case is very curious.
Accepts GJR’s offer to prepare sugar-cane paper for publication [Villa Franca and Glass, "New varieties of sugar-cane", Proc. Linn. Soc. Lond. (1880–2): 30–1]. Suggests introduction and outline.
Agrees with GJR on microscope for Grant Allen.
Is obliged for TE’s paper on the wall lizard and another paper.
Sends subscription for Hannah Fitch.
Advises his children as to how some money will be distributed among them.
Thinks that "women though generally superior to men [in] moral qualities are inferior intellectually". Believes that men and women may have been aboriginally equal in this respect but that to regain equality women would have to "become as regular ""bread-winners"" as are men". Suspects the education of children and "the happiness of our homes" would greatly suffer in that case.
CD’s gardener reports that potatoes were not attacked by disease, but yield was not good. Noble of JT to plan the return of subscriptions if trade continues to improve.
Requests that THF forward an enclosure if he thinks it proper. James Torbitt’s blunder in using the pollen of a diseased variety accounts for the bad varieties raised last year.
Thanks FJC for presentation copy [of Die Pflanze (1882)].
Thanks for Science and culture [1881].
Refers to "Automatism" ["On the hypothesis that animals are automata"], wishing THH could review himself and answer himself and thus go on ad infinitum to the joy and instruction of the world.
Quantity of nitrogen in castings surprises CD.
Comments on papers: [J. B. Lawes and J. H. Gilbert, "Results of experiments on mixed herbage, pt 1", Philos. Trans. R. Soc. Lond. 171 (1880): 289–416; Gilbert, Lawes and M. T. Masters, "pt 2: The botanical results", Philos. Trans. R. Soc. Lond. 173 (1882): 1181–413].
Has never made sections to see how deep worms burrow – five or six feet is probable. Wishes the problem had arisen when he made his observations.
Thanks WO for gift of his translation [Aristotle’s De partibus animalium]. Suspects the introduction would interest him more than the text "notwithstanding that he [Aristotle] was such a wonderful old fellow".
Prefers to make the present of microscope at once [to Grant Allen].