Is enjoying Descent. Sends corroborating facts on heredity, concerning race of people from the Seychelles known for their tall stature, courage, and vigour.
Is enjoying Descent. Sends corroborating facts on heredity, concerning race of people from the Seychelles known for their tall stature, courage, and vigour.
The pamphlet [Chauncey Wright’s review of Mivart, see 7940] has been distributed to friends and to the press.
Asks WHF to check over some enclosed MS pages [Origin, 6th ed.?]. CD quotes some of WHF’s remarks, but should WHF not wish to be mixed with CD’s theoretic notions, CD will omit the whole paragraph.
Many think CD’s notions are "rubbish, pleasantly flavoured", like the reviewer in the Quarterly Review, who CD cannot doubt is "Mr Mivart, with bigotry arrogance illiberality & many other nice qualities".
Explains that he cannot agree with Mantegazza’s views on sexual selection.
Has been so unwell that he could do absolutely nothing on Origin [6th ed.]. A new chapter seven has cost much labour.
Sorry to hear R. I. Murchison is ill.
Forwards a letter. Has distributed 220 copies of the pamphlet [Darwinism 1871].
Thomas Henry Huxley has sent review of St George Jackson Mivart’s On the genesis of species and his review of Descent in Quarterly Review (Mivart 1871a and [Mivart] 1871c) to the Contemporary Review [18 (1871): 443–76] .
Thanks for goose specimens.
Asks whether Egyptian goose throws water out of side of beak. Can it tear herbage like the domestic goose?
[Mistakenly dated 16 Sept by CD.]
CD most interested by Primitive culture [1871]. Impressed by EBT’s account of development of religious beliefs and of the survival of old customs. Hopes EBT will treat morals.
Sends CD a sketch of goat with maxillary appendages and notes the dimensions of the structures.
Sees his ideas on conscious and non-conscious intelligence are already in Murphy [J. J. Murphy, Habit and intelligence (1869)].
Encloses an extract from S. W. Baker’s The Albert N’yanza [1866] on the behaviour of the giraffe [See Origin, 6th ed., p. 178], and some references to Baker’s Nile tributaries [1867].
Thanks CD for autograph and photograph.
The Origin destroys philosophical foundations of religion.
Obliged for note and sketch [of goat appendages].
Has seen an article by Chauncey Wright ["Darwinism", North Am. Rev. 113 (1871): 63–103] and has heard it has been enlarged and reprinted [1871]. As CD has been distributing copies StGM wonders whether he might have one.
Sends a reprint of Chauncey Wright’s article ["Darwinism", North Am. Rev. 113 (1871): 63–103].
Sends proof of article for Contemporary Review [18 (1871): 443–76].
Is grieved to hear that Mivart is author of Quarterly Review article. THH thought better of him than that.
Compares the Origin to Plato’s Republic: "it will remain fresh for two thousand years".
Sends some questions [missing].
Bad health has prevented him from working for six weeks.
Thanks for CD’s praise of his book [Primitive culture (1871)], wonders if he should abridge part into a small popular volume.
On THH’s review [see 7977] of Mivart’s Genesis of species and the Quarterly Review article on Descent.
Sends proofs of Huxley’s article on Mivart, to be published in Contemporary Review ["Mr Darwin’s critics", 18 (1871): 443–76].
Sends CD £100 as requested. Gives information on bonds purchased on CD’s behalf.