CD has signed James Croll’s certificate [of nomination to Royal Society] with real pleasure.
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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.
CD has signed James Croll’s certificate [of nomination to Royal Society] with real pleasure.
Congratulations on CL’s knighthood.
Comments on TVW’s book [On the variation of species with special reference to the Insecta (1856)].
On TVW’s Unitarianism. Predicts TVW will fall further away from Christianity.
[Letter sent by TVW to Charles Lyell.]
CD returns a letter from Wollaston.
Although opposed to the Forbesian doctrine [of continental extension] as a general rule, CD would have no objection to its being proved in some cases. Does not think Wollaston has proved it; nor can anyone until more is known about the means of distribution of insects – but the identity of the two faunas is certainly interesting.
His health is very poor and his "everlasting species-Book" quite overwhelms him with work. It is beyond his powers, but he hopes to live to finish it.
Galapagos land birds and reptiles.
No two naturalists agree on any fundamental idea [of species]. "Everything is arbitrary."
Has been with Richard Owen going over the S. American fossils.
Has worked out the non-relation between animals’ bulk and luxuriance of vegetation.
The horse once common on the Pampas. The mystery of the extinction of these animals.
Thinks of adding chapter on man to Variation. Asks about muscles connected to os coccyx in man and existence of other rudimentary organs in man.
Sends copy of Origin.
Requests information about rudimentary muscles and organs in man. Asks about marrow of os coccyx, and about testes and ovaria in early embryos of both sexes.
Thanks for information about rudimentary organs. Asks about rudimentary character of human hair and panniculus carnosus.
Has just arrived in London, and would like to visit the following morning at breakfast time.
Discusses errors in Descent. Not surprised that WT is not committed to full acceptance of evolution of man.
At work on Expression. Asks about muscles that raise spines of hedgehog and tail coverts of peacock. Asks about influence of mind on capillaries with regard to blushing. Mentions views of James Paget on influence of the mind on nutrition of body parts.
Comments on influence of nervous system on nutrition of body parts as discussed in James Paget’s Lectures on surgical pathology [delivered at the Royal College of Surgeons of England, 3d ed. (1870)]. Asks about mental influence on capillary circulation.
Asks to borrow AG’s paper on denudation of flat or nearly flat surfaces ["On modern denudation", Trans. Geol. Soc. of Glasgow 3: 153-90]. CD has recently been making some observations he thinks throw a little light on the subject.
Offers condolences on the death of CL’s wife.
The coral-reef book has been invaluable [J. D. Dana, Corals and coral islands (1872); used by CD in Coral reefs, 2d ed. (1874)].
Thanks for Saturday Review.
Discusses the possibility of "convergence" occurring; believes it could be only very limited.
Auguste Bravard’s discoveries magnificent.
Bravard has sent pamphlets [Observaciones geológicas (1857) and Monografia de los terrenos marinos terciarios (1858)] with strange doctrine that Pampean deposit is subaerial.
Review of Origin by Wollaston [Ann. & Mag. Nat. Hist. 3d ser. 5 (1860): 132–43] clever and misinterprets CD only in a few places.
Wallace’s MS ["Zoological geography of the Malay Archipelago", J. Proc. Linn. Soc. Lond. (Zool.) 4 (1860): 172–84] admirably good.
Henslow "will go very little way with us". "He, also, shudders at the eye!"
Baden Powell says CD’s statement about eye is conclusive.
Leonard Jenyns cannot go as far as CD, yet cannot give good reason.
Further comments on Jamieson’s theory of the formation of the roads of Glen Roy; paper by Jamieson dealing with glaciation in Scotland ["On the ice-worn rocks of Scotland", Q. J. Geol. Soc. Lond. 18 (1862): 164–84].
Comments on paper by A. C. Ramsay on the glacial formation of lakes ["On the glacial origin of certain lakes", Q. J. Geol. Soc. Lond. 18 (1862): 185–204].
Criticises remarks by John Tyndall on glacial formation of Swiss valleys.
Thanks him for interesting letter from a Mr Wood on heredity in fruit-trees.