Strelitzia has arrived

but no books or bottles from G. H. K. Thwaites.

Hopes his own judgment about Origin is as good as Hooker’s about his own papers.

Strelitzia’s neat mechanism for exposing pollen.

Thanks for advertisement, and pleased Murray likes title (of Variation).

On Lubbock’s plans.

Visited by Antoine Auguste Laugel.

Guessed right on Bentham’s "Planchon".

Much struck by Thomson’s article on nomenclature [see 4812]; importance of this subject.

Sorry best scientists read so little; few read any long papers.

Pleased at CD’s opinion of Thomson’s article.

Non-reading is great fault of the best school of English scientific men.

Opposed to Lubbock’s going into Parliament.

W. J. Burchell’s collections are coming to Kew.

Wonders whether CD might contribute, if possible, an occasional letter to the Reader to help in their effort to establish the journal.

Sends CD the first volume of her Life of Josiah Wedgwood [2 vols. (1865–6)].

Has heard from Hooker that CD is very ill and asking for suggestion of a doctor to consult. Recommends A. B. Garrod as specialist in gouty complaints.

Sends Catalogue [of the collection of fossils in the Museum of Practical Geology (1865)], most of which was written in pre-Darwinian epoch [i.e., 1857].

Hears magnum opus [Variation] completely developed, though not yet born.

Feels a little better, but sickness continues.

Wants to borrow Robert Caspary’s paper on the union of buds in Cytisus [see 5012].

On FitzRoy’s suicide.

The Lyell–Ramsay disagreement [on formation of lakes?].

On FitzRoy’s life and character.

Carl von Siebold’s cases of males and females of gall insects [True parthenogenesis in moths and bees (1857)]. Each sex produced on different plants.

Haeckel’s astonishing case of propagation in a Medusa.

Sends advice on naturalist matters.

W. H. Harvey’s work [with Wilhelm Sonder, Flora capensis (1859–65)],

and Robert Brown’s publication ["On the organs and mode of fecundation in Orchideae and Asclepiadeae", Trans. Linn. Soc. Lond. 16 (1833): 685–745].

Writes of having seen in S. America a Hymenopteran with tarsi covered with pollen-masses of Asclepias.

Interested in JPMW’s researches in South American caverns.

Mentions poor health.

Thanks for tracings.

Thanks FR for copy [of first number] of Der Mensch [1866].

Reports on the funeral of Robert FitzRoy.

His own health has deteriorated and he must give up his work.

Would rejoice to see BJS at Down, but explains that he can only spend short spells of time in his company if he comes.

Reports Lincoln’s murder.

The end of Civil War is in sight.

Must look at dimorphism in Plantago.

Asks JC to pay him a professional visit at Down to consider whether the ice treatment would apply to his case. Describes his sickness.

Sends fresh plants from France: Lythrum graefferi, Romulea.

Does CD know Pulmonaria is dimorphic?

All overworked at Kew.

Burchell collections enormous.

Lyell has sent MS of Principles p. 111 on changes of temperature. JDH thinks Lyell blunders and is out of his depth.

Charmed with E. B. Tylor’s book on man [Early history of mankind (1865)],

disappointed in Lubbock’s [Prehistoric times (1865)].

Thanks for Catalogue.

Has had a bad month. Somewhat improved as a result of John Chapman’s ice-bag cures.

Asks THH to read MS on his hypothesis Pangenesis. THH only man whose judgment on it would be final with him.