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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.
Asks whether his observations on absorptive powers of glandular hairs of plants are new facts.
Asks for a Drosophyllum.
Comments on Francis Galton’s article in Fraser’s Magazine,
Greg’s Enigmas,
and Alphonse de Candolle’s Histoire des sciences.
Fascinated by Greg’s Enigmas, though its matter is weak.
Is vexed at being drawn into hostility toward British Museum through William Carruthers’ insolence and presumption.
Recounts visit with Edward Cardwell [Secretary for War].
Has sent Candolle’s book to Gladstone.
JDH indignant at Gladstone’s speech putting English science below French and German.
Thinks it is an accepted dogma that glandular hairs are excreting only. Will ask others to confirm.
Explains why he wants Drosophyllum.
Hopes JDH will be elected President of Royal Society.
Agrees with JDH on Greg’s Enigmas.
Would like Greg to visit Down if JDH comes as CD’s "protector".
Drosophyllum is coming from Dublin. Will ship it to Down when it arrives.
The awful honour of Presidency of Royal Society; his aversion to dignities and honours.
R. Strachey [Proc. R. Geogr. Soc. (1873): 450] has paid him and CD a compliment.
Letter from Gladstone.
Had thrown Geographical Society’s Proceedings in waste-basket, but as Strachey shows such admirable powers of discrimination he will fish it out and read the whole article.
Comments on 3d ed. of Sachs’s work [Lehrbuch der Botanik (1873)]. Wishes he were more controversial.
Has become wonderfully interested in Drosera and Dionaea.
9000 copies of Expression have been printed and most are sold.
The Drosophyllum goes to Orpington by train this evening.
Hopes Drosophyllum was all right.
Opinion of Council of Royal Society [on Presidency] is twelve for JDH, five for Duke of Devonshire, and G. B. Airy for William Spottiswoode.
Drosophyllum arrived; none of his observations turned out as he expected, but nevertheless he understands its habits better than he did. The secreting hairs that he observed may be explained as a mere chemical reaction.
Comments on various articles he has read.
Asks for Thiselton-Dyer’s notes.
Is drawing up the account of his crossing experiments. Requests JDH to add the families after nine genera, the names of which he encloses. Whenever there is no objection he would like to arrange the families in some sort of natural order.
Recommends Spalding’s article on instinct in Macmillan’s Magazine [27 (1873): 265–81].
Delighted with John Traherne Moggridge’s book [Harvesting ants (1873)].
Has suggested he plant seeds in various receptacles. Only two explanations for failure of seeds to germinate [in ants’ nests]: lack of circulating air or formic acid.
Has undertaken a botany primer for Macmillan.
Will see whether formic acid delays germination of fresh seeds.
Thinks primer not at all a folly. Refers JDH to Asa Gray’s "child’s book" [see 8363].
Wants to discuss raising a testimonial fund for Huxley and whether Huxley would stand this.
Thinks the Huxley fund should be done. Difficulty will be getting him to accept it.
George Henslow is worse. All plans to go abroad have been given up. James Paget’s diagnoses enclosed.
Recipient is to stay with CD;
sender relates some observations of dogs and birds, to be passed on to CD.
Charmed by Huxley’s letter of appreciation [8873].
Lady Lyell’s sudden death.
Thanks for Dionaea.
George Bentham’s last Linnean Society [Presidential] Address [Proc. Linn. Soc. Lond. (1873): viii–xxix]. Admires it greatly.
CD’s recent work leads him to a different theory [from GB’s] on the separation of the sexes of plants.
Huxley has been at Down working with CD on Drosera – very helpful.
Leaves Wednesday with Huxley for holiday.
Family news.
He too thinks well of Bentham’s address.
Asa Gray elected Foreign F.R.S.
G. J. Allman is being proposed for Royal Medal by JDH and Huxley.
Agrees with JDH on G. J. Allman’s work. Approves of JDH’s text proposing GJA for Royal Medal.
Will be proud to see General Richard Strachey at Down – a truly great man.
Specimens of Drosera are waiting to be examined.
Has three common garden plants of which he needs to know correct names; will send specimens as soon as he hears JDH is back.