Sends comparison of the floras of Society and Sandwich Islands.
Showing 1–20 of 39 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.
Sends comparison of the floras of Society and Sandwich Islands.
Previous letter [missing] on Edinburgh position was ill-tempered. Friends assure him that he ought to be thankful for opportunity to try for professorship.
Reports meeting with Humboldt in Paris.
JDH recommends Augustin de Saint-Hilaire’s Leçons de botanique [1841]. Relates opinions of European botanists on migration and plant distribution.
A Tasmanian Cyttaria is same species as CD’s Fuegian fungus. Did the species originate on the beeches of Fuegia or of Tasmania?
JDH gives interpretation of Vestiges.
John McCulloch, J. F. Schouw, and Lamarck on the species question.
First part of "Galapagos flora" ["Plants of the Galapagos Archipelago", Trans. Linn. Soc. Lond. 20 (1851): 163–233] finished but not printed.
Details of distribution of Galapagos flora. Peculiarity of island floras.
Leaves for Edinburgh on Wednesday.
Answers CD’s questions relating to the flora of the Galapagos. [See 889.]
The translation of Humboldt’s Kosmos [Cosmos (1846–58)] is delayed.
Gives instances of peculiar genera with several good species in very small islands. Scarcity of insects on islands.
JDH cannot prove that there is much hybridising, but does not see why there should not be. "Bother variation, development & all such subjects, it is reasoning in a circle I believe after all."
Raises some points for revision of CD’s Journal of researches.
Southern island floras. "The more I ponder upon Insular Floras the less inclined I am to admit the mutation of species to any very great amount."
JDH’s grandfather’s death.
Collecting testimonials for the Edinburgh chair.
The most experienced botanists argue for the "validity of species in nature". Against taxonomic "splitters".
CD’s Cape Tres Montes plants.
Thanks for Journal of researches.
Puzzled over pea flower from Cape Tres Montes.
Thinks species a fair and most profitable subject for discussion, but has no formed opinion of his own.
Answers CD’s queries arising from Flora Antarctica.
Would like CD to come to town and go over Galapagos plants with him.
Sends specimens of a Tertiary sandstone from Tierra del Fuego in which there are leaves; CD thought they were beech. What is JDH’s opinion?
Asks whether JDH can make sense of a note on silicified wood.
Has read Vestiges [of creation (1844)]; "his geology strikes me as bad, & his zoology far worse".
Would like to see lists [of plants] from Society and Sandwich Islands.
Doubts JDH’s information regarding imagination of mother affecting offspring.
Would like copy of "Galapagos flora" when published ["Plants of the Galapagos Archipelago", Trans. Linn. Soc. Lond. 20 (1851): 163–233].
Will keep JDH’s Pacific island notes till his return.
Congratulates JDH and condoles with him on possible position at Edinburgh. Although CD will miss him bitterly, he encourages JDH to view it as a good opportunity.
Sorry to hear that Humboldt is failing.
Would like to borrow the pamphlet on variation [Frédéric Gérard, "De l’espèce dans les corps organisés" (1844), extract from Dictionnaire universel d’histoire naturelle, ed. C. D. d’Orbigny].
Glad to hear Humboldt’s views on migration. CD believes we cannot "put any limit to the possible and even probable migration of plants".
Wants good book on plant morphology.
Has received pamphlet from JDH [John Murray, Strictures on morphology (1845)].
Hopes JDH will enjoy Edinburgh.
Has just finished Isidore Geoffroy Saint-Hilaire on animal monsters [Anomalies de l’organisation chez l’homme et les animaux (1832–7)], "and a nasty curious subject it is".
Thanks for information about books.
Murray is publishing CD’s Journal of researches. Would be grateful for a sentence on Galapagos plants.
Apologises that the house is full this weekend, but next weekend would be good.