Showing 1–20 of 41 items
The Charles Darwin Collection
The Darwin Correspondence Project is publishing letters written by and to the naturalist Charles Darwin (1809–1882). Complete transcripts of letters are being made available through the Project’s website (www.darwinproject.ac.uk) after publication in the ongoing print edition of The Correspondence of Charles Darwin (Cambridge University Press 1985–). Metadata and summaries of all known letters (c. 15,000) appear in Ɛpsilon, and the full texts of available letters can also be searched, with links to the full texts.
Invites GB and wife to luncheon.
"… Mr Herbert Spencer. I will call tomorrow about half past 12".
Herbert Spencer is staying with the Lubbocks and would much like to see CD.
Discusses dimorphism of Oxalis; one form has 99% sterile anthers. Has found three kinds of fertile anthers.
Declines contributing to Land and Water. Asks if Frank Buckland can insert a question about the feet of otter hounds.
Did not think JDH had written Murray review [see 5217].
Does not think Gardeners’ Chronicle best for publication of "Insular floras" [Gard. Chron. (1867): 6–7, 27, 50–1, 75–6].
T. Laxton’s article, on direct action of pollen of peas on seed and pod, a grand physiological fact and "delightful" for Pangenesis.
Interview with Herbert Spencer.
Requests information about the feet of otter-hounds. Is the membrane between the toes more largely developed than in other hounds? To which part or joint of the toes does the skin extend? Is it hollowed out? [There is a hand-written copy of this letter in Invercargill City Libraries and Archives (Alex Robertson Collection, vol. 1: A0444 S12450001). The handwriting is not CD’s: it may be a copy made for the printer, or maybe by a reader of the magazine.]
Is unable to fix a day for luncheon until later.
Thanks for CD’s patronage;
will pursue CD’s query about otter-hounds.
Remarks on continuing debate over CD’s views in BAAS.
Would CD like to have Susan’s Indian chessmen?
EAD should settle something about the house but has no power without consent of all parties.
Caroline looks worn – it has been a most painful time.
Susan Darwin is dead.
Is pleased CD approved of his effort ["Address in surgery", see 5219] in which he alluded to CD’s views.
Disposal of Susan’s effects.
Frank and Henry [Parker] are executors.
EAD is bringing away a large packet of CD’s letters from abroad.
Sends sermon he preached at the BAAS Nottingham meeting ["The continuity of the schemes of nature and revelation" (1866)], in which he disagrees with CD on the gradual genesis of the human eye by natural selection.
Has searched scores of purple-fruited nut-trees, but not a nut is to be found. Has heard there are some nearby and will send them as soon as he receives them.
Comments on proofs [of Principles of geology, 10th ed. (1867–8)]: CL does not allude to the specialisation of classes.
Discusses CL’s argument from the absence of Cetacea in Secondary rocks;
finds his discussion of man "superfluous and too orthodox".
Does not think he can persuade American publishers to reprint [4th English ed. of] Origin in U. S. Suggests Murray supply copies of it and the new book [Variation] to the American market.
Disposal of Susan’s effects. Legacies to CD’s children. EAD has taken the letters and papers and asked Henry [Parker] to forward the George Richmond pictures of CD and Emma.
Caroline looks "miserably ill".
More comments on proofs [of CL’s Principles of geology, 10th ed.]. Discusses permanence of continents and other points.
Refers to passage describing evaporation of snow in Journal [of researches, pp. 277–8].
Cites astronomers’ views on increasing length of day.
Responds to CP’s sermon. Corrects CP’s confusion of what CD said about eyes of the Articulata with human eye,
and questions applicability of CP’s mathematical arguments about length of geological time needed for evolution.
Agrees he was foolish about the Wealden, now struck from later editions [Origin, pp. 285–7].