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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.
On Huxley’s article for Contemporary Review [see 7977] confuting Mivart. It has cheered him,
for he is very low about his mother’s state.
Is also in detestable position with "my lord and master", A. S. Ayrton. JDH has denounced him to the [First] Lord of the Treasury [W. E. Gladstone] for his conduct.
Sorry to hear of JDH’s troubles;
pleased he thinks so highly of Huxley’s article [see 7977].
Huxley makes CD feel infantile in intellect (as JDH once said of himself). CD is not so good a Christian as JDH thinks, for he did enjoy his revenge on Mivart.
JDH’s servant carries his letter to Henry Holland about problems with Ayrton. Suggests servant take CD’s letter to Holland to town and post them at same time. Holland is said to be very intimate friend of Gladstone.
Has written to Henry Holland in strongest terms. Will be surprised and disappointed if he does not accede to JDH’s request.
CD agitated by JDH’s letter. Forgot to say that he heard Henry Holland was going to Turin. Beseeches JDH not to resign. No one could possibly replace him.
JDH has no intention of resigning. Thinks W. E. Gladstone would rather see Ayrton turned out than himself. Gladstone knows JDH has friends who would be troublesome. Only moral and political cowardice of Cabinet keeps Ayrton in office.
Lyell is much altered since autumn.
Has CD read Charles Martins’ paper on the glacial origin of the tourbières of the Jura [Arch. Sci. Phys. & Nat. 42 (1871): 286–308]?
John Scott has an admirable series on horticulture in Bengal ["Notes on horticulture in Bengal", J. Agric. & Hortic. Soc. India 2 (1871) pt 1: 241–96; 3 (1872) pt 1: 1–82].
Details of the JDH–Ayrton–Gladstone imbroglio.
Henry Holland is taking an active part in helping JDH in the Ayrton affair.
CD is considering repeating experiments on melastomads in which different pollen sizes produced differing seedling sizes.
Responds to JDH’s query on differences in pollen within the same species.
Will be in London until 21st. Would rejoice if JDH could come to lunch during their stay.
Cannot come to lunch to meet Sir Henry Holland. Holland may have seen Robert Lowe [Lord Sherbrooke] already. Will CD let him know his views?
H. Holland keeps strongly to the opinion that Kew be under the Treasury, and will recommend this to Lowe.
Philosophical Club dinner.
Lyell contradicts W. B. Carpenter on current in Straits of Gibraltar.
James Orton’s report on fossil shells found by L. Agassiz 2000 miles up the Amazon. Their identification disposes of the glacial hypothesis.
No news yet from Gladstone on Ayrton affair.
Gladstone’s private secretary [West] has written that the Government plans to alter JDH’s position with regard to the First Commissioner of Works [Ayrton].
Huxley is not better after his Brighton trip.
Heartily glad about the news of the Ayrton affair development.
Huxley looks very unwell from too much miscellaneous work; CD wishes he could be made a Director General for transference of British Museum and for other scientific work, as JDH suggests.
William [Hooker] is in first division of matriculation list of London University.
Other family news.
No news on Ayrton affair. Ayrton has taken staff appointments out of JDH’s hands.
Asks whether CD knows about Zizania aquatica – can hardly believe it is an annual.
Heartily glad about Willy.
Has never had Zizania.
Still has Leersia. He cannot make the beast produce.
What slow coaches the Ministers are about the Ayrton affair.
Sends a communication [missing] from Gov. J. H. Lefroy of Bermuda.
Suggests a visit to Kew to see the hot houses the following Sunday.
Sends, for signature, a statement approving change in rules of the Leopoldino Academy [Dresden] to be forwarded to CD to sign.