Sending his paper on tristyly in Oxalis.

Cannot attend botanical congress, where CD will be vice-president.

Caspary wants to visit Down. CD would like to see him but dreads the exertion.

Pleased that JDH will get D.C.L. at Oxford.

Refers to enclosure from Asa Gray

with whom he can talk calmly now that war is over. North had no right to resort to bloodshed.

Startled by CD’s attendance at Royal Society soirée.

Has asked E. B. Tylor to make up questions for consuls and missionaries, through whose wives a lot of most curious information [for Descent?] could be obtained.

Tying umbilical cord has always been a mystery to JDH.

John Crawfurd’s paper on cultivated plants is shocking twaddle ["On the migration of cultivated plants in reference to ethnology", J. Bot. Br. & Foreign 4 (1866): 317–32].

R. T. Lowe back from Madeira.

Glad to see Asa Gray’s letter.

Asks whether he may insert a sentence about Cape Verde alpine plants in new edition [4th] of Origin.

Fears "twaddle" may also be the word for his two chapters on cultivated plants. Asks for Crawfurd’s paper.

W. H. Harvey is dead. His loss to science.

Will get a copy of Crawfurd’s paper. It was such trash he tore his up.

His letter to Asa Gray was about his [JDH’s] proof that America will have an aristocracy from interbreeding of wealth, intellect, and beauty; and the lower classes, not having time for politics, will leave them to the aforementioned.

Will be sure to send the Cytisus and Laburnum blooms when they flower.

Has written his Naudin–hybridism article [Pop. Sci. Rev. 5 (1866): 304–13]. Would like CD to criticise proofs.

Will return books borrowed from CD.

Sends plants from France.

J. B. E. Bornet of Antibes, working in G. A. Thuret’s garden, finds Cistus hybrids do not follow the old dictum of having the mother’s foliage and the father’s habit. Bornet is engaged in long-term study.

JTM seeks invitation to Down.

Printing [of 4th edition of Origin] nearly complete. Will print 1000 copies which, at present rate of sale, may last three to five years.

Plans to come to Down on 27 May.

Accepts invitation for 23 June.

Sends a sketch of the haricot climbing the shoot of the plum-tree [see 4866].

Hopes to see CD at the [Horticultural] Congress on Wednesday [30 May].

Sends data on movement direction of Wisteria shoots.

JDH sends a list of the principal confirmatory evidences of CD’s theory which he has prepared at W. R. Grove’s request for Nottingham speech ["Presidential address", Rep. BAAS 26 (1866): liii–lxxxi].

On reflection, in view of the extensive additions CD has made to Origin, has decided to print 1500 copies [of 4th ed.].

Comments on JDH’s list – very good, but Orchids and Primula paper have too indirect a bearing to be worth mentioning. The Eozoon is a very important fact and to a much lesser degree the Archaeopteryx. Müller’s Für Darwin [1864] perhaps the most important contribution.

CD has forgotten to mention Bates on variation and JDH’s Arctic paper ["Distribution of Arctic plants", Trans. Linn. Soc. Lond. 23 (1862): 251–348] in new edition of Origin.

Now finds that Owen claims to be originator of natural selection.

No enclosure in JDH’s last letter.

Would like to be amused "for my stomach & the whole Universe is this day demoniacal in my eyes".

Sends flowers of buckthorn [Rhamnus catharticus] collected on Isle of Wight.

Age at which babies first shed tears.