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.

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.

Belated thanks for CD’s photograph.

When in London at Rucker’s wonderful gardens she learned he had sent CD a Mormodes.

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.

Identifies Calanthe masuca.

Asa Gray would not quarrel with them – "snubbing from us may have done him more good than our sympathy".

If CD means the old Vaucher, he was considered a very accurate, acute, able observer.

Lighthearted thoughts on "the development of an Aristocracy" after a visit to Walcot Hall, Shropshire.

On CD’s point about the effect of changed conditions on the reproductive organs, JDH does not see why this is not "itself a variation, not necessarily induced by domestication, but accompanying some variety artificially selected".

Writes with an important fact about the parallel roads of Glen Roy. The watershed at Makoul corresponds with the lowermost of the Glen Roy lines. Over a stretch of 20 miles from east to west the lowermost of the Glen Roy lines is near parallel with the present sea level.

Gives CD advice on the illness of one of his sons [presumably Horace].

Variations are centrifugal because the chances are a million to one that identity of form once lost will return.

In the human race, we find no reversion "that would lead us to confound a man with his ancestors".

CD can add revisions since he cannot begin work on 2d German ed. of Origin until May.

Schweizerbart wants to publish translation of Orchids. Asks for woodcuts for illustrations.

Suggests that the height of the water which formed the shelves in Glen Roy was determined not by the height of the blocking glacier but by the height of a col. Notes problems in the idea.

Has been reading J. D. Morell’s new book on psychology [An introduction to mental philosophy, on the inductive method (1862)].

Progress of the Civil War.

Asks for an order to buy a CD photograph for Mr Tait.

Louis Pasteur’s memoir "is a very able and convincing one" ["Mémoire sur les corpuscles organisés qui existent dans l’atmosphère", Ann. Sci. Nat. (Zool.) 3d ser. 16 (1861): 5–98].

E. A. Parkes informs him there will be difficulty about the Army returns [on CD’s Query to Army surgeons, see Freeman, Works of Charles Darwin, p. 111] owing to official obstructions by Director General. [Enclosed letter from Parkes to GB says that the Director General does not think that Army surgeons could be asked to collect information systematically for CD, but perhaps some informal, voluntary arrangement could be made.]

Has several specimens illustrating dimorphism in insects that he would be happy to leave where CD could examine them.

Discusses the ant genera Formica and Atta, and the origin of the two forms of workers commonly found in the species of these genera.

Will hope to be able to send Vanilla flowers in a day or two.

How is CD after his tremendous effect on the placid Linneans? ["Sexual forms of Catasetum", Collected papers 2: 63–70; read 3 Apr 1862.]