Replies to inquiries about his life and career.
Showing 1–20 of 54 items
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.
Replies to inquiries about his life and career.
On hybridism between the fox and dog; asks whether CD knows of a reliable case of offspring from this cross.
Does CD want details on a white cat with blue eyes, but not deaf?
Sexual differences in antelopes (Indian and African).
Sends a single specimen of Drosophyllum lusitanicum with description from F. de Avellar Brotero’s Flora Lusitanica [1804].
Discusses Portuguese ferns,
inherited mutilation,
and the earth’s geological history.
Evolution of behaviour and beauty by natural selection.
Thanks TRRS for copy of his lecture [Darwinism (1869)]. Praises his "admirable example of liberality".
Further observations on horns of fallow deer. Sends fawn’s head.
Reception of ARW’s book, Malay Archipelago.
Explains how he, as "an orthodox clergyman" reading CD’s works, was totally convinced by his arguments. Expresses pleasure "that Science might make gigantic strides without offering such collateral opinions as, if true, would certainly dispense with clergymen altogether".
Is forwarding potted specimens of Drosophyllum.
Will make inquiries about sheep.
Thanks TCE for fawn’s head.
Wishes to introduce his son, George Howard Darwin.
Has glanced at the second of AdeQ’s articles on natural history in Revue de deux mondes; ordered first article but second is already out of print.
Transmits letter [from Fritz Müller].
Has been asked to permit a French translation of Orchids and Journal of researches.
At work on sexual selection.
Suggests best form of lettering for spine of Müller’s Facts and arguments for Darwin.
At writer’s request, forwards long letter on Comte by Vernon Lushington.
Weir’s paper on relation of protection to colour of caterpillars [Trans. R. Entomol. Soc. Lond. (1869): 21–6; (1870): 337–9] confirms ARW’s hypothesis.
Suggests that ground ice, in Canada and similar countries, is a mode of distribution of boulders and animal and vegetable life.
Sends statement [missing] of cost and proceeds of publishing Facts and arguments for Darwin at 6s. Asks whether CD agrees to this price.
Nothing new in Lushington’s letter. Two paragraphs are offensive – that THH sought to stir up Scotch Presbyterian prejudices against Comte at Edinburgh and that he had not read Comte.
Orchids translation should goad [French] Academy into electing CD.
JDH will be sent to St Petersburg congress by Government.
Huxley on protoplasm; his address to Geological Society.
Fertilised an Aucuba with pollen of various species. Reports on results.
Thanks for money, which will enable him to complete publication. Explains principles of his physiological theory.