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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.
Thanks for observations on angles of worm-holes on slopes. William Darwin is observing at Stonehenge. She is worth her weight in gold.
Discusses the problems of mimicry as related to natural selection; the general variability of colour as a character; and the conditions necessary for natural selection to fix firmly a character.
Encloses a Fritz Müller letter speculating that organisms respond to certain colours because of the prevalence of those colours in their environment.
His rabbits have lost their patches and are grey.
Has FG seen William Crookes [spiritualist]?
Discusses earthworm activity observed in old ploughed fields.
Louis Agassiz is going on a voyage to the Falklands, and BJS wonders whether it is worth while telling him of the Gallegos fossil bed so that he can investigate.
William [Hooker] is in first division of matriculation list of London University.
Other family news.
No news on Ayrton affair. Ayrton has taken staff appointments out of JDH’s hands.
Asks whether CD knows about Zizania aquatica – can hardly believe it is an annual.
Wants references to the work of Julius von Haast and James Hector on New Zealand glaciers, which CD mentions in the Origin [6th ed., p. 335].
Suggests BJS write to Louis Agassiz about his [fossil mammal?] specimens but doubts that he will have time to do the work. Regrets they were ignored at the Royal College of Surgeons; thinks Owen neglected many things because he was overworked.
Discusses role of orbicular muscle and distended veins in eye in secretion of tears. Asks WB’s opinion.
Discusses the roles of natural and sexual selection in producing mimicry, and the problem of explaining the cause of the first mimetic variation; considers the ideas of A. R. Wallace and Fritz Müller on this problem.
Heartily glad about Willy.
Has never had Zizania.
Still has Leersia. He cannot make the beast produce.
What slow coaches the Ministers are about the Ayrton affair.
Reminisces on the evening he, B. J. Sulivan, and J. C. Wickham from the Beagle spent with CD, nearly ten years ago.
Hopes the mission at Tierra del Fuego will not "improve" the people to extinction.
Gives information on recent editions of Lyell’s works.
Invites RM to keep some specimens as long as he wishes.
Recalls vaguely the mention of a butterfly species in which the male alone is mimetic.
CD sends some sheets [of 6th ed. of Origin]. Informs JVC that he is having it stereotyped, so he can never again make any serious alterations. "The little strength left to me shall be employed on new works."
Has corrected last page of index of Origin [6th ed.]. Sends instructions.
Requests that JM make stereotype plates of 6th edition of Origin available to D. Appleton. This will be last edition and CD is "extremely anxious" to spread his views.
Calls CD’s attention to Andrew Jackson Davis’ work on the origin of man,
philosophy of evil,
the mode of producing rain at pleasure,
and who and what is God.
Expands on a letter to Nature concerning the probability of the survival of a new variety in a given species. Differs with [F. Jenkin’s] argument, to which CD had agreed to a greater extent than JB feels it deserved.
Encloses a letter to be prefixed to JJM’s translation of the Origin.
Expresses his satisfaction that JJM has undertaken the translation [of a fourth French edition] of Origin. Urges the use of the sixth English edition so as to include corrections and additions.
His interest in influencing the eminent men of science in France.