From:
Lucy Caroline Wedgwood; Lucy Caroline Harrison
To:
Charles Robert Darwin
Date:
20 Jan [1872]
Source of text:
DAR 94: 1b
Summary:
Gives results of probing worm-holes with wire.
Contributor:
Darwin Correspondence Project
From:
Raphael Meldola
To:
Charles Robert Darwin
Date:
21 Jan [1872]
Source of text:
DAR 171: 117
Summary:
Discusses his paper on mimicry and natural selection [Land and Water 9 (1871): 321]. Believes natural selection tends to fix mimetic characters rigidly.
Contributor:
Darwin Correspondence Project
From:
Bartholomew James Sulivan
To:
Charles Robert Darwin
Date:
23 Jan 1872
Source of text:
DAR 177: 297
Summary:
Louis Agassiz is going on a voyage to the Falklands, and BJS wonders whether it is worth while telling him of the Gallegos fossil bed so that he can investigate.
Contributor:
Darwin Correspondence Project
From:
Joseph Dalton Hooker
To:
Charles Robert Darwin
Date:
24 Jan 1872
Source of text:
DAR 103: 103–4
Summary:
William [Hooker] is in first division of matriculation list of London University.
Other family news.
No news on Ayrton affair. Ayrton has taken staff appointments out of JDH’s hands.
Asks whether CD knows about Zizania aquatica – can hardly believe it is an annual.
Contributor:
Darwin Correspondence Project
From:
Thomas Stanley
To:
Charles Robert Darwin
Date:
24 Jan 1872
Source of text:
DAR 177: 246
Summary:
Wants references to the work of Julius von Haast and James Hector on New Zealand glaciers, which CD mentions in the Origin [6th ed., p. 335].
Contributor:
Darwin Correspondence Project
From:
William Bowman, 1st baronet
To:
Charles Robert Darwin
Date:
[before 25 Jan 1872]
Source of text:
DAR 160: 265
Summary:
Gives lengthy details from his medical experience on how structural and other changes in the parts of the eye are related to lacrimation.
Mentions belief in CD’s views.
Contributor:
Darwin Correspondence Project
From:
Raphael Meldola
To:
Charles Robert Darwin
Date:
25 Jan 1872
Source of text:
DAR 171: 118
Summary:
Discusses the roles of natural and sexual selection in producing mimicry, and the problem of explaining the cause of the first mimetic variation; considers the ideas of A. R. Wallace and Fritz Müller on this problem.
Contributor:
Darwin Correspondence Project
From:
Arthur Mellersh
To:
Charles Robert Darwin
Date:
25 Jan 1872
Source of text:
DAR 171: 146
Summary:
Reminisces on the evening he, B. J. Sulivan, and J. C. Wickham from the Beagle spent with CD, nearly ten years ago.
Hopes the mission at Tierra del Fuego will not "improve" the people to extinction.
Contributor:
Darwin Correspondence Project
From:
William Green
To:
Charles Robert Darwin
Date:
30 Jan 1872
Source of text:
DAR 165: 222–4
Summary:
Calls CD’s attention to Andrew Jackson Davis’ work on the origin of man,
philosophy of evil,
the mode of producing rain at pleasure,
and who and what is God.
Contributor:
Darwin Correspondence Project
From:
John Ball
To:
Charles Robert Darwin
Date:
31 Jan [1872]
Source of text:
DAR 47: 196–201
Summary:
Expands on a letter to Nature concerning the probability of the survival of a new variety in a given species. Differs with [F. Jenkin’s] argument, to which CD had agreed to a greater extent than JB feels it deserved.
Contributor:
Darwin Correspondence Project
From:
Francis Galton
To:
Charles Robert Darwin
Date:
1 Feb 1872
Source of text:
DAR 105: A44–5
Summary:
Asks to have one pair of rabbits sent to him; is abandoning experiments with the rats.
Contributor:
Darwin Correspondence Project
From:
Asa Gray
To:
Charles Robert Darwin
Date:
2 Feb 1872
Source of text:
DAR 165: 178
Summary:
Notes the occurrence in U. S. of "vermiform piles" produced by earthworms.
Contributor:
Darwin Correspondence Project
From:
Arthur Mellersh
To:
Charles Robert Darwin
Date:
2 Feb 1872
Source of text:
DAR 171: 147
Summary:
Exchange of photographs among CD, AM, and Philip G. King.
Contributor:
Darwin Correspondence Project
From:
John Murray
To:
Charles Robert Darwin
Date:
2 Feb [1872]
Source of text:
DAR 171: 406
Summary:
Accedes to CD’s request to let Appleton have a set of stereotypes of the 6th English edition of Origin at a little above cost.
Contributor:
Darwin Correspondence Project
From:
Charles Frédéric Martins
To:
Charles Robert Darwin
Date:
3 Feb 1872
Source of text:
DAR 171: 60
Summary:
CD’s views, on which he has lectured, will succeed with time.
Joachim Barrande’s refutation cannot be impartial because he is a devout Catholic.
Many young French naturalists support CD but are silent for fear of their jobs. Houget has been reprimanded for his Darwinism.
Contributor:
Darwin Correspondence Project
From:
Friedrich Hermann Gustav (Friedrich) Hildebrand
To:
Charles Robert Darwin
Date:
5 Feb 1872
Source of text:
DAR 166: 212
Summary:
Praise for Descent.
Contributor:
Darwin Correspondence Project
From:
Joseph Dalton Hooker
To:
Charles Robert Darwin
Date:
[5 Feb 1872?]
Source of text:
DAR 103: 105–6
Summary:
Sends a communication [missing] from Gov. J. H. Lefroy of Bermuda.
Contributor:
Darwin Correspondence Project
From:
John Finlayson Mackenzie
To:
Charles Robert Darwin
Date:
8 Feb 1872
Source of text:
DAR 171: 5
Summary:
An engineer in India, who has read Descent, sends observations on native racial characters.
Contributor:
Darwin Correspondence Project
From:
Lucy Caroline Wedgwood; Lucy Caroline Harrison
To:
Charles Robert Darwin
Date:
[8 Feb 1872]
Source of text:
DAR 63: 79–80
Summary:
Describes earthworm experiments. She has measured depth of mould in various locales, e.g., on ridges and furrows of an old ploughed field.
Contributor:
Darwin Correspondence Project
From:
Robert Francis Cooke; John Murray
To:
Charles Robert Darwin
Date:
12 Feb 1872
Source of text:
DAR 171: 407
Summary:
Sends first copy of new [6th] edition of Origin. Expenses have been much higher than estimated because of extensive revisions. 3000 copies retailing at 6s would yield only £100 profit. Suggests fixing price at 7s 6d.
Contributor:
Darwin Correspondence Project