On Vanilla.

Asks JDH to observe whether he has both long- and short-styled form of Menyanthes

and whether he has "Saxifrages with long hairs glandular at the tip".

The Linnean Society session made him vomit all night. Fears he must give up trying to read papers or speak. "It is a horrid bore. I can do nothing like other people."

JM is a bold man to print 1500 copies [of Orchids].

Did CD lend AM a pamphlet on cave insects by S. Scudder ["On the genus Raphidophora", Proc. Boston Soc. Nat. Hist. 8 (1861–2): 6–14]? CD much wants it and remembers lending it to someone.

DO’s observations on polymorphism in Primula and Campanula. CD recognises three classes of dimorphism, as in Primula, Thymus, and Campanula and violets.

DO’s Campanula paper and Royal Institution lecture [Not. Proc. R. Inst. G. B. 3 (1858–62): 431–3].

CD’s interest in Fumariaceae from A. Gray’s comments on "selfing".

Bees bite holes in flowers when same species grows in high density.

Organisation of CD’s notes.

Encourages DO to publish his paper and put his name to it. [Paper apparently not published.] Concurs with his views on primordial nature of hermaphroditism.

Invitation to visit; Hooker will be present. Gives directions to Down. Also plans to invite John Lubbock over for an evening.

French translation of 3d edition of Origin has been greatly delayed.

Very pleased with CEB-S’s intent to write a review and with his near agreement. CD believes that so many really good judges concur with him in the main that his views will ultimately prevail. Continental reviews have been more positive than British ones. Édouard Claparède’s ["M. Darwin et sa théorie de la formation des espèces", Rev. Ger. 16 (1861): 523–59; 17 (1861): 232–63] is too favourable.

Thanks correspondent for his excellent review [of French edition of Origin (1862)], which he feels will help the spread of his views in France.

Requests Oxalis acetosella, which he suspects is dimorphic.

Is sending first half of orchid book.

Feels he is wrong about Melastoma.

Thanks for Oxalis. Only experimentation will show whether disproportion of long- to short-styled flowers is a functional dimorphism.

Case of aestival flowers is very curious.

Sends additions and corrections for 2d German ed. of Origin [1862–3].

Before a German translation of Orchids is done, CD thinks HGB should read part of it and decide if it is worth while; CD has doubts.

Thanks WED for eyeglass.

Reports on health of Horace and family matters.

Has finished Orchids.

Thinks THH’s [Anniversary] Address [to Geological Society, Feb 1862, Q. J. Geol. Soc. Lond. 18 (1862): xl–liv] a wonderful condensed and original summary of palaeontology.

Asks JDH to look at stigma of Leschenaultia biloba; it seems certain there is no stigma within the bud. Case would be important.

Singular case of peculiar structure now remodified into the functional condition of a Campanula.

Quiz has had to be killed because he became vicious.

Horace Darwin strangely ill.

Has returned last page of index [of Orchids]. Hopes JM will reconsider price – 10s seems high. Suggests two reviewers likely to be favourable. Sends list for presentation copies.

Thanks for letter and "valuable" extracts.

If S. American Carabi differ more from other species than do those from other distant locations (e.g., Siberia, Europe, etc.), CD agrees that difference would be too great to have occurred in the recent glacial age; CD also rejects independent origin. Plants seem to migrate more readily than animals. HWB should not underrate length of glacial period; CD also believes they will be driven to an older glacial period.

Sorry about news of British Museum – hopeless to contend against anyone supported by Owen.

CD dearly wishes HWB could find a situation in which he could give time to science.

Hooker has written about WED’s going to Kew.

Will try to call tomorrow. What HF tells him about horses makes him eager to come.