Progress on his Russian translation of Descent.
Alexander Kovalevsky is at Tor in Sinai, where C. G. Ehrenberg was in 1827.
Has CD seen Ernst Haeckel’s new book [Biologische Studien (1870–7)]?
Has received (from CD) the sheets of the second volume [of Descent].
He fears he has offended CD or someone in England and he begs to know his offence.
His brother is working at the Red Sea and wishes CD to know that he has evidence for the affinity of ascidians and vertebrates in their nervous systems.
Plans to go to Paris upon its imminent capitulation to help his sister-in-law.
Has received all the proof-sheets of first volume and of second volume to p. 168 [Descent].
Leaves for Paris tomorrow.
VOK and his wife walked 25 miles through the Prussian lines to Paris.
Natural history collections undamaged by bombardment, but Edmond Hébert and A. J. Gaudry fear Prussians will rob them.
Several sheets of Descent lost as they passed through the lines.
Russian translation of Descent in progress, but the Minister of Interior has banned CD’s work and the book will be seized.
His foolish brother-in-law, Mayor of Montmartre, attempted to defend their section against the government.
CD’s queries on man and camels have gone to Alexander [Kovalevsky] in Sinai.
Paris is in the hands of "brigands and socialists", but one grows accustomed to sporadic bombardment,
and VOK is peacefully studying invertebrate palaeontology collections.
Reports on Paul Gervais’ successful cross between a Triton and an axolotl.
Will translate passages as CD requests [see 7735].
Bitter at Prussian militarism.
Reports on the wholesale murder in Paris.
His wife, Sofya Kovalevsky, is working for her examinations.
VOK is studying embryology.
Alexander has left Suez and is now in Jaffa.
A. J. Gaudry is one of few supporters of Darwinism in Paris.
The climate is so hostile that Kovalevsky must mitigate his views so as not to irritate the French.
Working on Anchitherium, which he believes is intermediate between Palaeotherium and the horse.
His brother-in-law has been arrested.
Would like to do Russian translation of Expression.
May come to England.
In England to write a monograph on Anthracotherium.
Requests proofs of Expression.
So far VOK has lost money on his translation of Descent because of pirate editions.
Agrees to share profits on Expression.
Wishes to come to Down to make arrangements for Russian translation of Expression.
CD cannot omit mention of Wilhelm Wundt’s Thierseele [Vorlesungen über die Menschen und Thierseele (1863)] in his book.
Murray could control the number of copies of translation of Expression sold in Russia by the number of heliotypes he will supply.
VOK is marking the passages [in Wundt, Menschen und Thierseele (1863)] that may interest CD.
Studying palaeontology, as the British Museum is closed.
Alexander [Kovalevsky] is intent on assisting Russian publication of Expression. Sends estimates of costs and profits. At 7s 6d per copy a net profit of £150–200 is expected.
Wilhelm Wundt [Menschen und Thierseele (1863)] probably of no use.
His visit to Down.
Wishes to dedicate his memoir ["Monographie der Gattung Anthracotherium", Paleontographica 22 (1876): 131–347] to CD as founder of evolutionary theory.