Text Online
From:
Darwin, Emma
To:
Darwin, G. H.; Darwin, Maud
Date:
1 April 1893
Source of text:
DAR 210.3: 193
Summary:
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Contributor:
Darwin Family Letters
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JDH writes to Sir William Turner Thiselton-Dyer [WTTD] giving his opinion of various publications by Alphonse de Candolle. JDH does not intend to write a notice of 'Alphonse de Candolle's [recent] work', as he has a very low opinion of it. JDH criticise de Candolle's descriptions & his systematic work. JDH lists those he considers superior contemporary systematists; Pourret, Saint-Hilaire, von Martius, Bentham, Endlicher, Gray & Engelmann. JDH has a higher opinion of de Candolle's geographical botany. He reviewed his GÉOGRAPHIE BOTANIQUE in the JOURNAL OF BOTANY, concluding that it was full of useful data but lacked philosophical views & was tainted by a belief in multiple creation of species & scepticism towards evolution, though this was before the 'Darwinian Epoch'. Darwin in fact had a high opinion of the work, & [Asa] Gray a modest one. JDH considers THE ORIGINE DES PLANTES CULTIVÉES an excellent book but not comprehensive, e.g. it does not address the cultivation of Amorphophallus campanulatus or Tacca, which is cultivated from Tahiti to Malaya. JDH calls THE HISTOIRE DES SCIENCES ET DES SAVANTS 'very good & instructive' & thinks its highlight's de Candolle's forte, which is as a statistician. He has not read de Candolle's biography of his father [Augustin Pyrame de Candolle] or his methodology of descriptive botany & was unimpressed by his INTRODUCTION TO BOTANY. He summarises that it is impossible to consider the work of de Candolle without appearing to deprecate him though his wealth & leisure have allowed him time to contribute much to botany. JDH suggests that [William Botting] Hemsley take on LOIS DE LA NOMENCLATURE BOTANIQUE. JDH mentions some Tibetan plants of interest & 'securing' George Massee. JDH is working on Indian Eriocaulons, which he thinks is the most minute flowers genus of Phenogams, & grasses. JDH thanks WTTD for some Rhododendrons. Balfour has sent JDH a list of New Zealand Veronicas which they have at Edinburgh [Botanic Garden].
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JDH critiques the work of Alphonse de Candolle. His MONOGRAPHIAE PHANEROGAMARUM does not accord with JDH's revision of the Phanerogams. JDH recognises that he has worked hard at botany, though he is wealthy enough not to have needed to. However, he finds that de Candolle's treatment of plant distribution GÉOGRAPHIE BOTANIQUE RAISONNÉE shows a lack of deep understanding of the subject & is more a collection of useful data than an attempt to reach any conclusions. JDH asks if Alphonse de Candolle is dead. JDH has had no answer to his letter to Carriere[?]. [George] Bentham has completed work on the Australian Enocaulaceae & JDH is reviewing them to determine which ones are Indian species. JDH suggests that de Candolle's systematic work does not compare favourable with those of Asa Gray, Antoine Jusseau & George Bentham but if de Candolle is dead them JDH will take on de Candolle's systematic work.
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ARW sends proof of article on heredity. Comments on his argument and purpose. Will has left Siemens and is going to see Crookes. Comments on J. A. Allen's review in the Ark, Romanes article in reply to Spencer, and Weismann's book The Germ Plasm.