Protests against CD’s statement that FCD’s letter will make him "strike out a good deal". He would never pardon himself for being the cause of any suppression by CD. It is for specialists to put their knowledge at CD’s service. He is mistaken if he thinks a knowledge of physiology is sufficient for writing a book on expression. It is CD’s conception and spirit that all await. Offers to read those parts of the proofs of Expression dealing with physiology.

His father sends a list (to be returned) of boarders at Shrewsbury School. Implies CD stayed at Mother Bromfield’s.

Sends Plautus quotation on expression.

Returns borrowed book. Is surprised that any of us have eyes "seeing what a frightful number of horrid diseases the eye is liable to".

Has attended one more séance, which he describes; tells of the freedom investigators have to check, although they cannot prearrange, experiments.

Thanks CC’s father for relic. Remembers almost every boy above him but few below him in the school.

CC’s translation seems capital.

Writes on behalf of British authors requesting improved copyright rights with respect to United States.

Thanks FCD for suggested deletions in MS of Expression. Declines offer from FCD to examine proofs also.

Encourages FG to carry out investigation [of spiritualism]. However, his own health is too uncertain to accept Daniel Dunglas Home’s offer. Discusses possibility of reproducing Crookes’s apparatus for sale.

[An autograph.] "With Mr Darwin’s compliments."

Sends details of Alexander Dickson’s paper ‘On some abnormal cones of Pinus Pinaster’ (Dickson 1871).

Discusses his book [Die Darwin’sche Theorie (1871)], in which he emphasises natural selection acts on inborn variation and is the exclusive cause of transmutation, in opposition to the theories of Haeckel and Moritz Wagner.

Thanks for part nine of WHE’s [Butterflies of North America (1868–72)].

Comments on trimorphism in Papilio ajax.

Regrets that his health will prevent his attending concerts in aid of the Rifle Corps Fund.

Sends information on expression: head and hand movements of the Tagals of the Philippines, and of Malaysians.

Royal Netherlands Academy of Science has elected CD.

Expresses gratitude on election to Royal Netherlands Academy.

Not surprised incipient disease in female would make her unattractive to male.

Sorry JJW’s official duties are so heavy.

Sends drawings of dogs in different attitudes, drawn by his friend A. May. FD should not trouble CD unless he thinks the drawings will please him. [See Expression, pp. 54–5.]

Thanks for notes on worm-castings. Amount of ammonia surprises CD. David Forbes asserts that published analysis of carbon in vegetable matter valueless. Suspects that worms search for food and do not blindly swallow earth.

Sends sentences from Hermann von Helmholtz about difference between minor and major chords.