Showing 1–20 of 36 items
Asks THH to advise him about a response to Samuel Butler’s attack accusing CD of dishonesty. Quotes the advice of others but will do what THH advises.
Has read Butler’s letter and CD’s draft reply and Litchfield’s letter. Has no hesitation in saying CD should take no notice. Litchfield’s advice is judicious.
Greatly relieved by THH’s letter [advising against a reply to Samuel Butler].
Is in town and will call on Sunday morning.
Sorry he missed THH’s lecture ["The coming of age of The origin of species", Royal Institution, 9 Apr 1880]. Has read press notices and heard from his children of its great success.
Expresses his delight with and admiration for THH’s "Coming of age [of The origin of species]" in Nature [22 (1880): 1–4].
Hopes CD does not think his faith in natural selection is weak because he omitted mention of it in his lecture.
Is working on dogs. They will make a case for "Darwinismus".
Comments on natural selection. Sometimes he can persuade himself that it is of quite subordinate importance, but so many structures have been explained by it that he can also persuade himself that every structure developed through it. Cites H. G. Bronn’s list [of structures not explicable by natural selection].
No summary available.
Has read THH’s review of Sir Wyville Thomson’s [Introduction to the] Voyage of the "Challenger".
Sends a draft of a letter for Nature [Collected papers 2: 223–4]. He particularly asks THH to decide whether he should include a certain paragraph [see ML 1: 389].
Sends draft of memorial for a pension for Wallace with suggested names of signers. Asks THH’s help.
Will support the petition for a pension for Wallace.
CD’s paragraph [about Wyville Thomson, see 12796] was so good that if he had written it he would have sent it to the printer, but [for CD] it is best to refrain.
Is glad that Hooker will sign memorial for Wallace’s pension. Had thought it hopeless because Hooker objected to ARW’s spiritualism and his bet on the sphericity of the globe.
Asks to see THH on Thursday or Friday to hear about the Wallace affair.
THH will be at Kensington.
He has been so busy that he has let the Wallace business stand over.
Thinks Wallace memorial should not be presented to Lord Aberdare, nor to Owen, for signature, but will follow THH’s wishes.
Sends draft of the Wallace memorial.
Has obtained signatures for the memorial. Wonders whether Gladstone would see a deputation and offers to write to Gladstone instead. Asks THH’s advice.
Sees no use in a deputation. Suggests CD send the memorial with a letter.
Family news.
Has asked Hooker to sign the Wallace memorial and send it on to THH.
Read splendid lecture by THH on evolution in the Times ["On the application of the laws of evolution to the arrangement of the Vertebrata and more particularly of the Mammalia", Proc. Zool. Soc. Lond. (1880): 649–62].