Showing 1–20 of 62 items
Describes one of his varieties of potato in its third and fourth years. [CD notes his observations on this variety grown at Down, July 1879.]
Has just read GA’s article in Fortnightly Review ["A problem of human evolution", 31 (1879): 778–86]. GA’s views very probable. Something wonderful to hear anyone defending sexual selection.
Leaves home on 6th for a rest.
Will commence writing Erasmus Darwin.
Apologises for keeping RD’s various books for so long a time.
CD is leaving home for three weeks’ rest. If EK finishes his life of Dr Darwin while CD is away, asks him to send the MS to W. S. Dallas for translation. CD will begin his preface, but needs rest and will not do much until he returns.
Encloses some references [missing] to information on Dr Erasmus Darwin.
Asks GHD to look in Cambridge University Library for Monthly Magazine articles containing a malicious calumny concerning Dr [Erasmus] D[arwin] [see Erasmus Darwin, pp. 65–70].
Encourages JT’s experiments. His case of flowering of black potatoes is curious. CD surprised that they are odoriferous and visited by bees. This letter was thought to be to David Moore, because it was in the private collection of a descendant, but is extremely close to a draft to JT on the letter from JT, 30 April 1879 (DCP-LETT-12020). It is not known how it passed from JT to David Moore.
Was it Lady Charlemont or Charleville who remarked how agreeable their grandfather was?
Asks her to confirm story about Robert Darwin (father of Dr Erasmus).
Returns documents pertaining to Dr Erasmus Darwin.
Is struck by the amazing variations of the hardy Primula varieties.
Asks GHD to look for a life of Sir Henry Rayburn [Raeburn] "who is spoken of as famous and who painted Charles Darwin [1758–1778] when dead". Asks why he painted the corpse.
Sends CD an article on Dr Erasmus Darwin [from Monthly Magazine, see 12028].
Tells of a "discovery" he has made about taking observations of the sun. Does not know yet whether it is new.
Invitation to the University College Hospital festival and dinner
Thinks it better to send proofs of his preface [to Erasmus Darwin] rather than MS – he always corrects proofs heavily. Doubts that it is worth translating into German – it is written for the English public. Supposes EK will not object to a French translation and an American edition of the little book. Has written a dozen pages during a break
in his experimental work [on movement of plants].
Sends first part of MS of Erasmus Darwin.
Has found useful criticism of Anna Seward in J. G. Lockhart’s Life of Sir Walter Scott.
CD should regard MS as a draft and correct anything that seems incorrect or questionable. Asks biographical questions about Dr Darwin. Can CD give information about origin of family name?
No summary available.
Has received the enlarged MS for Erasmus Darwin from E. Krause.
A big book arrived for GHD before CD left Down. Hopes it is Thomson and Tait [Treatise on natural philosophy, 2 vols., 2d ed. (1869)]. It shows what they think of GHD.
Thinks it grand if GHD has made a correction about "such an old sinner as the Sun" and hopes his arithmetic on his old subject will turn out right.
Has been trying unsuccessfully to weigh something for CD.
Believes it absurd to doubt that a man may be an ardent theist and evolutionist; gives the examples of Kingsley and Asa Gray. As regards CD’s own views, his judgement often fluctuates but "I have never been an Atheist in the sense of denying the existence of God". Thinks that "generally (and more and more as I grow older) … an Agnostic would be the most correct description of my state of mind".