Thinks that "women though generally superior to men [in] moral qualities are inferior intellectually". Believes that men and women may have been aboriginally equal in this respect but that to regain equality women would have to "become as regular ""bread-winners"" as are men". Suspects the education of children and "the happiness of our homes" would greatly suffer in that case.

Requests that THF forward an enclosure if he thinks it proper. James Torbitt’s blunder in using the pollen of a diseased variety accounts for the bad varieties raised last year.

CD’s gardener reports that potatoes were not attacked by disease, but yield was not good. Noble of JT to plan the return of subscriptions if trade continues to improve.

Thanks FJC for presentation copy [of Die Pflanze (1882)].

Wishes to borrow Weismann’s pamphlet on the Daphnidae [ "Ueber die Schmuckfarben der Daphnoiden", Zeitschrift für wissenschaftliche Zoologie 30 (Supp.)]. Is preparing an essay on "alternation of generations".

No summary available.

CD happy to lend Weismann’s pamphlet to RM.

Quantity of nitrogen in castings surprises CD.

Comments on papers: [J. B. Lawes and J. H. Gilbert, "Results of experiments on mixed herbage, pt 1", Philos. Trans. R. Soc. Lond. 171 (1880): 289–416; Gilbert, Lawes and M. T. Masters, "pt 2: The botanical results", Philos. Trans. R. Soc. Lond. 173 (1882): 1181–413].

Has never made sections to see how deep worms burrow – five or six feet is probable. Wishes the problem had arisen when he made his observations.

B. D. Jackson’s plan for new Steudel Nomenclator approved. JDH asks for CD’s cheque.

Thanks for Science and culture [1881].

Refers to "Automatism" ["On the hypothesis that animals are automata"], wishing THH could review himself and answer himself and thus go on ad infinitum to the joy and instruction of the world.

Sends CD some of the [American Social Science] Association’s publications; asks if they may enrol him as a corresponding member. They have printed CD’s letter to Mrs Talbot

and also his paper from Mind (1877) ["Biographical sketch of an infant"].

No summary available

Discusses a lectureship at Aberdeen

and a recent visit to Down.

Potatoes [from Torbitt experiment] sent him for eating were very poor. Those for seed produced abundantly, but have not resisted disease better than other kinds that Payne [his gardener] has grown.

Sends article on dimorphism in Oxalis violacea [Am. Nat. 16 (1882): 13–19].

Encloses an extract (from the Bayswater Chronicle [missing]), which is part of an ongoing disagreement in which JFS is involved.

Has read some references to CD’s hypothesis on music and offers a MS by himself which deals with the subject.

Has ordered a tin of Somerset Mixture snuff for CD.

The Secretary to the First Commissioner of Her Majesty’s Works thanks CD for providing the funds for a new edition of Steudel’s Nomenclator [Index Kewensis].

Sends a translation of Aristotle’s De partibus animalium and imagines that if the old teleologist were alive CD would convince him of his errors.

Thanks WO for gift of his translation [Aristotle’s De partibus animalium]. Suspects the introduction would interest him more than the text "notwithstanding that he [Aristotle] was such a wonderful old fellow".