[List of plants in CD’s hand, with notes by JDH identifying them.]
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The Charles Darwin Collection
The Darwin Correspondence Project is publishing letters written by and to the naturalist Charles Darwin (1809–1882). Complete transcripts of letters are being made available through the Project’s website (www.darwinproject.ac.uk) after publication in the ongoing print edition of The Correspondence of Charles Darwin (Cambridge University Press 1985–). Metadata and summaries of all known letters (c. 15,000) appear in Ɛpsilon, and the full texts of available letters can also be searched, with links to the full texts.
[List of plants in CD’s hand, with notes by JDH identifying them.]
GEH, a tailor, wishes to trade some work for a presentation copy of the Origin.
Had it not been for CD, JDH would never have written such papers as his one on Arctic flora. The "evulgation" of CD’s views is the purest pleasure he derives from them.
He too is staggered that Greenland ought to have been depopulated during the glacial period. Absence of Caltha is fatal to its re-population by chance migration.
Has directed Murray to send Harris a copy of Origin.
Will observe Rhexia for CD to see whether it is dimorphic.
CD wishes he could sympathise with Asa Gray’s politics.
Orchids to appear soon.
Pre-glacial Arctic distribution.
Work on floral dimorphism.
High opinion of Buckle as a writer.
Returns Asa Gray’s letter. Disappointed with Gray. Comments on America. British–American relations.
Asks if CD will have corrections for 2d German ed. of Origin.
CD’s theory only natural way to explain creation but contradicts current knowledge about origin of life from inorganic matter.
Has read Primula paper [Collected papers 2: 45–63] with interest.
Pleased that new German edition of Origin is wanted. Wishes to make corrections.
Suggests German translation of Orchids.
Comments on HGB’s book [Untersuchungen (1858)].
Gives permission to insert in his magazine anything from CD’s works.
Will experiment on hollyhocks as CD suggests.
On desirability of a place for experiments to be set up by Government or a scientific society. Kew is too busy for experiments.
Informs CD where, at Kew, to find Epipactis palustris.
Has never trusted Donald Beaton.
Thinks JDH is a bit hard on Asa Gray.
Bates’s letter is that of a true thinker. Asks to see JDH’s to Bates. Point raised in it is most difficult. "There is one clear line of distinction; – when many parts of structure as in woodpecker show distinct adaptation to external bodies, it is preposterous to attribute them to effect of climate etc. – but when a single point, alone, as a hooked seed, it is conceivable that it may thus have arisen." His study of orchids shows nearly all parts of the flower co-adapted for fertilisation by insects and therefore the result of natural selection. Mormodes ignea "is a prodigy of adaptation".
Belated thanks for CD’s photograph.
When in London at Rucker’s wonderful gardens she learned he had sent CD a Mormodes.
Gives some observations on changes in pistil position with age in Monochaetum. Asks whether AG can observe Rhexia for similar movements.
"One of the best men, though at present unknown", H. W. Bates, has taken up natural selection.
JDH has probably influenced Bates by pointing out applicability of CD’s views to his cases.
Is greatly puzzled by difference in effect of external conditions on individual animals and plants. Cannot conceive that climate could affect even such a single character as a hooked seed.
Does not think Huxley is right about "saltus".
He has only an uncertain memory of the placement of stamens in the [monstrous?] primrose CD asked about.
On effect of external conditions: CD thinks all variability due to changes in conditions of life because there is more variability under unnatural domestic conditions than under nature, and changed conditions affect the reproductive organs. But why one seedling out of thousands presents some new character transcends the wildest powers of conjecture.
Not shaken by "saltus" – he had examined all cases of normal structure resembling monstrosities which appear per saltum. Has fought his tendency to attribute too much to natural selection; perhaps he has too much conquered it.
Sends paper to be read ["Sexual forms of Catasetum", Collected papers 2: 63–70].
Asks that referee of his [Catasetum] paper be informed that if it is ordered to be printed he will borrow woodcuts. But if referee thinks fit, he will withdraw it, for almost all will be published in Orchids. He is not willing to spare time to condense it.