On death of his wife. Botany a solace.
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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 death of his wife. Botany a solace.
Not discouraged by F. Müller’s Passiflora.
Observations on insects visiting barberries.
Has sent F. Müller "a long screed" about the Passiflora.
Has procured a Passiflora flower at last. Structure suited for humming-birds rather than bees.
Returning CD’s books.
Sympathises with women’s lot in life.
Forgot to send books.
Saw Miss [Henrietta] Darwin; chastised her for being out when book [Descent] has not yet appeared.
Parallel between CD’s account of morality [in Descent], of social instinct preceding selfishness, and Henry Maine’s account of notions of property of a community preceding individual property [in Ancient law (1861)].
On private property, with regard to tools and arms; comments on Maine’s book and the history of law regarding property.
Observations on orchids. Ophrys apifera; confirms CD’s observation on pollinia. The nesting of ducks in trees is an example of change of instinct and habit.
Sorry he will be away when CD comes down.
Congratulations on Henrietta Darwin’s engagement.
Asks CD for seeds of some plants.
Suggests possible experiments with Pisum and Lathyrus.
Has read the article CD spoke of; the doctrine of inherited mental and corporeal qualities is most fertile.
Hopes affairs will enable him to get back to flowers.
Huxley’s letter [about the fund raised for him] was noble. Would like to have seen CD’s to him.
Observations on effect of water on leaves.
Coronilla.
Further observations concerning the fertilisation of Coronilla by bees.
Reflections concerning the influence of cultivation (i.e., ploughing) upon variation.
Observations on Coronilla.
Payne will send vine cuttings.
Thomas Belt has been visiting; they are to meet Huxley.
He is moved by denudation of the Weald.
Asks CD’s opinion of an experiment on Drosera.
Questions CD on sale of his books in America by Appleton and other publishers; copyright and translation rights.
Much pleased with CD’s book [Cross and self-fertilisation]. Is struck by width and caution of his generalisations and by the application of experiment to processes of life hitherto merely observed.