Sends MS of his paper, "On the coloration of flowers and fruits", filling a gap in CD’s theory relating to these structures, and asks for CD’s comments.
Plans a book on colour sense.
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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.
Sends MS of his paper, "On the coloration of flowers and fruits", filling a gap in CD’s theory relating to these structures, and asks for CD’s comments.
Plans a book on colour sense.
Thanks for comments on paper and references to related works. Clarifies points on colour distinction between energy-absorbing (green) and energy-expending (bright-hued) portions of plants and on the influence of flower colour in modifying the insect organism.
Has sent copy of his new book, Colour-sense [1879]; in anticipation of criticism, he justifies his reliance on recorded observations rather than experiments, by the heavy demands of his career as a journalist.
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.
Thanks for postcard informing him of Delboeuf’s review of his book; he had already seen review.
Thanks for compliments on Evolutionist at large.
Reports on his improving health.
Thanks for copy of Origin with its flattering inscription.
Hopes some day to have leisure to do original research.
CD and other friends who got up fund for GA in 1879 have now bought him a microscope; thanks CD, especially as the idea came from him; plans to take up original observations with it.
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.
Has just read GA’s article in Fortnightly Review ["A problem of human evolution", 31 (1879): 778–86]. GA’s views very probable. Something wonderful to hear anyone defending sexual selection.
Has GA seen an article on GA’s Colour-sense by a great man, J. R. L. Delboeuf, in Revue Scientifique 24 May 1879? It has pleased CD greatly.
Thanks for Evolutionist at large [1881]. Envies GA’s power of writing. Some statements are too bold, but several of the views are new to CD and seem "extremely probable".
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.