CD agrees to subscribe to reprint of Blyth’s Field articles on cranes.

Describes plans to publish English edition of Krause’s work on Erasmus Darwin.

Will correct Anna Seward’s calumnies [in Memoirs of the life of Dr Darwin (1804)].

Asks about family letters.

Doubts some stories about Erasmus Darwin [in Christiana C. Hankin, ed., Life of Mary Anne Schimmelpenninck (1858)].

Seeks clarification of statements on sleep movements on p. 29 of WFPP’s work [Die periodischen Bewegungen der Blattorgane (1875)].

Wants a Cassia identified

and several plants and seeds for experimental purposes.

Can CMCD provide a photograph of Elston, the birthplace of Erasmus Darwin, with permission to have it reproduced in Erasmus Darwin.

Announces his intention to translate and preface [E. Krause’s] sketch of Dr Erasmus Darwin’s life. Asks whether RD has any documents concerning Dr Darwin or letters by him.

CD has written to members of the family for Dr Erasmus Darwin materials and letters. Is apprehensive lest his preface and EK’s essay interfere with one another. Will confine himself to ED’s character and letters;

has begun investigating the influence he had on medical practice.

Thanks for FHGH’s new book; also for the list of seeds, but he does not want any at present.

Thanks for the plants for heliotropic experiments.

The "great book" [presumably Dr Erasmus Darwin’s commonplace book, see Erasmus Darwin, p. iii] arrived safely.

Can RD supply a photograph of [Breadsall] Priory?

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.

CD agrees entirely with EK’s proposal. Has collected a good deal of material. Useless to hunt for correspondence between Dr Darwin and Samuel Johnson. They met only once and hated one another. Dr Darwin is said to have taken Henry Brooke, who published a poem entitled "Universal beauty", as a model.

"I have signed the enclosed with pleasure."

Thanks AN for his kind expression about Frank [Darwin].

Memorial in support of EC travelling to Europe to research his bibliography of ornithology.

Parcel of drawings and MS arrived safely.

Thanks for WTT-D’s trouble.

Has been "deeply interested by the great book" [see 11966]. Asks permission to publish extracts.

Did Dr Darwin go to Edinburgh when his son, Charles, died? Asks whether RD has ever heard a story about Dr Darwin that had been told to CD by the Galtons.

Thinks it better to send proofs of his preface [to Erasmus Darwin] rather than MS – he always corrects proofs heavily. Doubts that it is worth translating into German – it is written for the English public. Supposes EK will not object to a French translation and an American edition of the little book. Has written a dozen pages during a break

in his experimental work [on movement of plants].

Sends details of the progress of his researches for Erasmus Darwin.

His son Leonard will photograph Elston and Cleatham. He has found an early drawing of Elston.

Asks for a letter of introduction for Leonard Darwin to CMCD’s tenant at Elston.

Details of family history. Has discovered Dr Darwin did get to Edinburgh before his son, Charles, died.

The more CD reads of Dr Darwin the higher he rises in his estimation.

Is tired of writing letters, "half the fools throughout Europe write to ask me the stupidest questions".