The "great book" [presumably Dr Erasmus Darwin’s commonplace book, see Erasmus Darwin, p. iii] arrived safely.

Can RD supply a photograph of [Breadsall] Priory?

Thanks for the plants for heliotropic experiments.

Parcel of drawings and MS arrived safely.

CD agrees entirely with EK’s proposal. Has collected a good deal of material. Useless to hunt for correspondence between Dr Darwin and Samuel Johnson. They met only once and hated one another. Dr Darwin is said to have taken Henry Brooke, who published a poem entitled "Universal beauty", as a model.

"I have signed the enclosed with pleasure."

Thanks AN for his kind expression about Frank [Darwin].

Memorial in support of EC travelling to Europe to research his bibliography of ornithology.

Thanks for WTT-D’s trouble.

Has been "deeply interested by the great book" [see 11966]. Asks permission to publish extracts.

Did Dr Darwin go to Edinburgh when his son, Charles, died? Asks whether RD has ever heard a story about Dr Darwin that had been told to CD by the Galtons.

Sends details of the progress of his researches for Erasmus Darwin.

His son Leonard will photograph Elston and Cleatham. He has found an early drawing of Elston.

Asks for a letter of introduction for Leonard Darwin to CMCD’s tenant at Elston.

Details of family history. Has discovered Dr Darwin did get to Edinburgh before his son, Charles, died.

The more CD reads of Dr Darwin the higher he rises in his estimation.

Is tired of writing letters, "half the fools throughout Europe write to ask me the stupidest questions".

Thanks Royal Danish Academy for electing him as a Member, and for the kind expressions toward him from so many illustrious naturalists.

Research for Erasmus Darwin. CD has always thought there is one "golden rule" for biographers: "not to insert anything which … would interest only the members of the Family".

Thanks EAW for assistance. Describes plans for writing preliminary sketch [for Ernst Krause’s Erasmus Darwin].

Sends thanks for "communicating the curious case of a habitual gesture, like that which I have treated as inherited. I may add that since I write, the action has been transmitted to another generation. Your case shall be sent to Mr Galton, who gave me the information".

Thanks for letter of introduction for Leonard Darwin to CMCD’s tenant at Elston.

Sends some information about R. W. Darwin’s residence at Elston; does not plan to include a portrait of him.

Asks the acreage of land at Cleatham.

Offers to send a print of the portrait of himself by W. W. Ouless.

Sends letters from RD’s father to R. W. Darwin.

Thanks him for his efforts. CD cared most about the letter to Thomas Okes [see Erasmus Darwin, pp. 14–15]. "Cannot think who the calumnious article cd have been about [in?] 1802."

Thanks for Haeckel’s Freedom in science and teaching [1879], with preface by THH.

Enjoyed rap on knuckles THH gives Rudolf Virchow.

Thanks his cousin for lending two letters [to be used in Ernst Krause’s biography of Erasmus Darwin, their grandfather].

Thanks for letter and articles: gratifying to hear that agriculturalists attend to his works.

Cannot decipher German writing so has stuck the address from the letter on the envelope.