From:
Asa Gray
To:
Charles Robert Darwin
Date:
17 Nov 1862
Source of text:
DAR 165: 123
Summary:
Flower structure of Cypripedium insigne.
Contributor:
Darwin Correspondence Project
From:
Asa Gray
To:
Charles Robert Darwin
Date:
24 Nov 1862
Source of text:
DAR 165: 124
Summary:
Gives reference to his observations on tendrils [Proc. Am. Acad. Arts & Sci. 4: 98–9].
Notes cases in which the pollen of the fertilising plant affects the form of the fruit of the fertilised plant, e.g., gourds and maize.
Discusses the Civil War and the attitudes of the English press.
Contributor:
Darwin Correspondence Project
From:
Asa Gray
To:
Charles Robert Darwin
Date:
9 Dec 1862
Source of text:
DAR 165: 125
Summary:
Has forwarded Mitchella roots and Cypripedium.
Contributor:
Darwin Correspondence Project
From:
Asa Gray
To:
Charles Robert Darwin
Date:
29 Dec 1862
Source of text:
DAR 109: 85, DAR 165: 126
Summary:
Encloses maize seeds.
Has heard of a butterfly with pollinia of Platanthera stuck to it.
Comments on AG’s notes ["Dimorphism in the genitalia of flowers", Am. J. Sci. 2d ser. 34 (1862): 149–50].
"Precocious fertilisation".
Contributor:
Darwin Correspondence Project
From:
Asa Gray
To:
Sir John Herschel
Date:
[26 January 1863]
Source of text:
RS:HS 9.120
Summary:
The missing parts will be sent in the Spring. The Academy would be pleased to receive any of JH's publications. Thanks for the pamphlet 'On Atoms.'
Contributor:
John Herschel Project
From:
Asa Gray
To:
Charles Robert Darwin
Date:
27 Jan 1863
Source of text:
DAR 165: 129, 130
Summary:
Discusses the ill-will between England and U. S.
Considers the bases for deciding which plant species are "high" and which "low".
Comments on Alphonse de Candolle’s paper on oaks ["Étude sur l’espèce", Ann. Sci. Nat. (Bot.) 4th ser. 18 (1862): 59–110].
Encloses S. H. Scudder’s letter on Lepidoptera and fertilisation of orchids which identifies a butterfly with Platanthera pollinia adhering to it. Jokingly applies natural selection to butterflies acted on by orchid pollinia.
Contributor:
Darwin Correspondence Project
From:
Asa Gray
To:
Charles Robert Darwin
Date:
22–30 Mar 1863
Source of text:
DAR 165: 131
Summary:
Discusses the Duke of Argyll’s article on the supernatural [Edinburgh Rev. 116 (1862): 378–97].
Has heard that the Incas married their sisters; this may be worth investigating as a case of inbreeding.
Contributor:
Darwin Correspondence Project
From:
Asa Gray
To:
Charles Robert Darwin
Date:
11 Apr 1863
Source of text:
DAR 165: 132
Summary:
The war is nearly finished, "rebeldom is ""gone up"" ".
Contributor:
Darwin Correspondence Project
From:
Asa Gray
To:
Charles Robert Darwin
Date:
13 Apr 1863
Source of text:
DAR 165: 133
Summary:
Hopes CD will finish and bring out his book on variation.
AG will publish extracts of H. W. Bates’s paper on mimetic analogy [Am. J. Sci. 2d ser. 36 (1863): 279–94].
Contributor:
Darwin Correspondence Project
From:
Asa Gray
To:
Charles Robert Darwin
Date:
20 Apr 1863
Source of text:
DAR 165: 134
Summary:
AG’s opinion of Lyell’s Antiquity of man.
Contributor:
Darwin Correspondence Project
From:
Asa Gray
To:
Charles Robert Darwin
Date:
26 May 1863
Source of text:
DAR 165: 135
Summary:
Discusses recent correspondence in the Athenæum: the disagreement between Lyell and Hugh Falconer and Owen’s remarks on heterogeny [see 4110].
Briefly discusses orchids and some problems in phyllotaxy.
Mentions the political situation and the quarrelsome behaviour of the English.
Contributor:
Darwin Correspondence Project
From:
Asa Gray
To:
Charles Robert Darwin
Date:
[10–16] June [1863]
Source of text:
DAR 165: 136
Summary:
Possible dimorphism in Phlox.
Knows of no U. S. law prohibiting marriage of cousins.
Gives references to papers on phyllotaxy.
Contributor:
Darwin Correspondence Project
From:
Asa Gray
To:
Joseph Dalton Hooker
Date:
6 July 1863
Source of text:
Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew (Asa Gray correspondence: 328–9)
Summary:
Includes comments about George Bentham’s anniversary address to the Linnean Society with particular notice of the favourable attention to Darwin, except for Natural Selection, and to AG’s essay in the Atlantic Monthly.
He defends [W. B.] Carpenter and [Jeffries] Wyman against [Richard] Owen.
Gossip about scientific honours and other matters.
Contributor:
Darwin Correspondence Project
From:
Asa Gray
To:
Charles Robert Darwin
Date:
7 July 1863
Source of text:
DAR 165: 127, 137
Summary:
Has extracted CD’s Linum paper [Am. J. Sci. 2d ser. 36 (1863): 279–84].
Elaborate co-adaptations of orchids and insects demonstrate against "chance blows", whether few, as Oswald Heer would have, or many and slight as CD proposes.
Contributor:
Darwin Correspondence Project
From:
Asa Gray
To:
Charles Robert Darwin
Date:
21 July 1863
Source of text:
DAR 165: 128, 138
Summary:
Gives some observations on Drosera.
Comments on Richard Owen’s "transmutation theory" in his aye-aye paper [Trans. Zool. Soc. Lond. 5 (1866): 33–101].
Contributor:
Darwin Correspondence Project
From:
Asa Gray
To:
Charles Robert Darwin
Date:
1 Sept 1863
Source of text:
DAR 157.2: 108; DAR 165: 139, 140
Summary:
Sees difficulties in adhering to the concept of design in nature.
Is surprised at Hooker’s and Daniel Oliver’s ignorance regarding spontaneous movements of tendrils.
CD should continue his work on climbing plants, "it will be fruitful in your hands".
Contributor:
Darwin Correspondence Project
From:
Asa Gray
To:
Charles Robert Darwin
Date:
23 Nov 1863
Source of text:
DAR 165: 141
Summary:
CD’s poor health.
Agassiz’s attempt to do away with Darwinism.
Contributor:
Darwin Correspondence Project
From:
Asa Gray
To:
Charles Robert Darwin
Date:
16 Feb 1864
Source of text:
DAR 165: 142
Summary:
Is sending his monograph ["A revision and arrangement of the North American species of Astragalus and Oxytropis", Proc. Am. Acad. Arts & Sci. 6 (1863): 188–236].
Death of Francis Boott.
U. S. is now determined to do away with slavery.
Contributor:
Darwin Correspondence Project
From:
Asa Gray
To:
Charles Robert Darwin
Date:
11 July 1864
Source of text:
DAR 165: 143, DAR 111: A82
Summary:
Discusses CD’s and Mrs Gray’s health.
Comments on some climbing plants.
Praises Wallace’s article applying natural selection to man ["The origin of human races", J. Anthropol. Soc. Lond. 2 (1864): clviii–clxxxvi].
Discusses the reported sterility of the flowers of Voandzeia and Amphicarpaea.
Feels the ending of slavery is worth the cost of the Civil War.
Contributor:
Darwin Correspondence Project
From:
Asa Gray
To:
Charles Robert Darwin
Date:
3 Oct 1864
Source of text:
DAR 165: 144
Summary:
Review of Spencer was by Chauncey Wright.
Will get a note on John Scott’s paper off to Sillimans Journal [Am. J. Sci. 2d ser. 39 (1865): 101–10].
Contributor:
Darwin Correspondence Project
