Has read and enjoyed the Kant that FPC sent.

Returns P. C. Despine [?Psychologie naturelle (1868)].

Discusses flora of Sandwich Isles. "There is nothing I shd enjoy so much as to visit California, but I am growing old & my health is weak".

CD writes for Emma, who is ill.

Delighted with FPC’s "most just" article [in Echo?]. Sends £1 subscription.

Thanks for telling CD about the Fraser’s Magazine article [F. W. Farrar, "Hereditary genius (by F. Galton)", n.s. 2 (1870): 251–65].

CD wrote as Justice of Peace for Kent to the Home Secretary about Holder’s case.

Tropaeolum transmits every shade of colour if self-fertilised for six or seven generations.

Thanks JF for his lectures, the arguments of which he finds very forcible; is glad to see JF has detected the falseness of much of Mivart’s reasoning.

Asks FW to thank F. P. Cobbe for her liberal offer, but the differences [between Descent and Cobbe’s review "Darwinism in morals", Theol. Rev. 33 (1871): 167–92] are too fundamental to be reconciled.

FPC’s article on consciousness of dogs is best analysis of an animal’s mind CD has read.

Regrets she quotes [Edward?] Jesse.

Since writing Descent, CD has come to believe dogs have a conscience.

Formally declines the vice-presidency of a proposed society.

CD is glad to hear of nature of JF’s work;

proposes that JF call when CD comes to London.

Has read JF’s attack on Agassiz ["Agassiz and Darwinism"] in Popular Science Monthly [3 (1873): 692–705].

Thanks for the Pinguicula plants, which have recovered, and asks if he could also send Utricularia, since his other supplies have failed.

Thanks JF for copy of Cosmic philosophy [1874].

Praises JF’s book [Cosmic philosophy (1874)].

Has long wished to understand H. Spencer but is not convinced by him and some others. CD cannot trust deduction from a starting principle, as his mind is so fixed by the inductive method.

Thanks for excellent notice of Chauncey Wright.

Would like a copy of Wright’s "Darwinism in Germany" [Nation 21 (1875): 168–70].

Thanks for EK’s book [Werden und Vergehen (1876)].

Regrets he cannot write for EK’s journal, but his son, Francis, may do so.

Suggests EK as editor urge on readers [of Kosmos] the investigation of the causes of variability; why, for instance, do wild Pampas cattle change colour when domesticated? Thinks experiments and observations on recently domesticated animals and cultivated plants would throw light on the subject.

Thanks for the reviews, particularly the one in the Times.

CD will be pleased to receive Mr Wallace.

CD interested in EK’s argument against belief that sense of colour has been recently acquired by man. Describes his observations of the difficulty his own children had in distinguishing, or naming, colours.

Adds that it appeared to him the gustatory sense of his children, when young, differed from that of grown-up persons.

EK may publish a translation [of "Sketch of an infant"] if he wishes, but CD hardly thinks it deserves the honour.

Glad to hear that Kosmos succeeds fairly well; has found several articles interesting.

CD and his brother Erasmus have read EK’s article on Erasmus Darwin. Asks whether EK would object to a translation by W. Dallas, to be offered to Fortnightly Review or to be published at CD’s expense as a book.

Pleased to hear that EK agrees to CD’s request to have article on Erasmus Darwin translated. Will wait for EK’s enlargement. Has decided submission to Fortnightly Review would be useless.

Warns against Anna Seward’s biography of Dr Darwin.

Sends copy of a lecture [by John Dowson, see 11949] published in 1861.

Has not yet found a copy of Anna Seward’s biography for EK. It is a wretched, inaccurate book. To contradict Anna Seward’s version, CD intends to write a short preface to the translation of EK’s essay. Doubts that it will be worth translating into German.

CD has written to members of the family for Dr Erasmus Darwin materials and letters. Is apprehensive lest his preface and EK’s essay interfere with one another. Will confine himself to ED’s character and letters;

has begun investigating the influence he had on medical practice.