Showing 141–160 of 290 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.
Forwards A. Gray’s letter [inquiring whether THH would be interested in printing Chauncey Wright’s review of Origin].
Would be glad to have Chauncey Wright’s [Origin] review for the Natural History Review.
Congratulates THH on first number of Natural History Review.
THH’s article on brain ["On the zoological relations of man with the lower animals", Nat. Hist. Rev. (1861): 67–84] completely smashes Owen.
Owen’s Leeds address [Rep. BAAS (1858): xlix–cx].
In his historical sketch of opinion on species CD has picked out some sentences [by Owen] with which he will take some revenge. CD is not bold enough to come to an open quarrel.
Chauncey Wright’s review of Origin: A. Gray asks that THH append a list of philosophical books on subject if he accepts it for Natural History Review.
Sends Gray’s pamphlet of his (republished) reviews [Natural selection not inconsistent with natural theology (1861)] for notice.
Invites Mrs Huxley and the children to spend a fortnight at Down.
MS of Chauncey Wright’s review has not yet arrived.
[P.S. missing from original.]
Invites THH to join Hooker at Down on 5 April.
Does not think much of the arguments of the Duke [of Argyll], though liberal and complimentary to himself.
THH’s Athenæum letter ["Man and the apes", 30 Mar 1861, p. 433] almost too civil. What a thorn THH must be to Owen.
Chauncey Wright’s review of Origin.
Family plans for Torquay in summer.
J. S. Henslow’s death.
Mr Campbell (recommended by H. Spencer) would be a treasure but doubts any man has patience to experiment at another’s suggestion.
Jocular comments about THH’s audacity in doubting Catasetum.
Owen’s new résumé of his brain doctrine ["On the cerebral character of man and ape", Ann. & Mag. Nat. Hist. 3d ser. 7 (1861): 456–8]; an attack on CD’s views. Quotes Owen on cavillers and controversialists.
Against all predictions his Edinburgh lecture was well received [Evidence as to man’s place in nature (1863)].
Took his old line about problem of infertility of hybrids as a test of CD’s views.
Report [from a newspaper] not quite right about what he said, but they have not refuted his statement that some form of progressive development theory is certainly true, nor that man and the apes come from same stock. Owen has gone in for progressive development in second edition of the Palaeontology [1861].
On success of THH’s Edinburgh lectures.
Agrees that THH is right that the hybrid question is a "hiatus" [in the argument for natural selection] but he overrates it. Crossed varieties frequently produce sterile offspring. On this question asks THH to read his Primula paper [Collected papers 2: 45–63]. CD suspects sterility will come to be viewed as a selected character.
The Witness attacks THH’s lecture.
Assures CD he spoke more favourably of his doctrines than the reports show.
Agrees with CD’s arguments on sterility of hybrids and predicts physiological experiments will produce physiological species sterile inter se. Has come even closer to CD’s view especially since Primula paper. Will soon be more Darwinian than CD.
Much amused at the Witness.
Pleased at what THH says on hybridity.
Odd that objectors never allude to the arguments that alone have weight in their favour – affinities, rudimentary organs, etc.
Has 16 ill in the house!
Natural History Review a capital number.
Returns a letter, which, when it is published, he believes will make readers take up THH’s lectures in a more impartial spirit.
Returns "The Week" [unidentified].
Agrees with THH’s published letter that writer is a man of excellent spirit, but doubts he is a good logician.
Thinks THH’s [Anniversary] Address [to Geological Society, Feb 1862, Q. J. Geol. Soc. Lond. 18 (1862): xl–liv] a wonderful condensed and original summary of palaeontology.
Glad to receive CD’s pat on back for address.
Wants to know what CD thinks of the argument on geological contemporaneity.
On his poor health.
Nearly agrees on contemporaneity, but THH pushes his ideas too far. Would require strong evidence before believing that the so-called Silurian, Devonian, and Carboniferous strata could be contemporaneous. Thinks THH’s case on advancement of organisation is strong. But he should read Bronn, before publishing again, and say more on other side. Cannot help hoping he is not as right as he seems to be.
The BAAS meeting at Cambridge was exhausting.
Owen came to attack him but was beaten; his paper fell flat.
A "society for propagation of common honesty in all parts of the world" was established at Cambridge [THH’s "Thorough Club"?].