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1870-1879 in date 
McLennan, J. F. in author 
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From:
John Ferguson McLennan
To:
Charles Robert Darwin
Date:
6 Mar 1871
Source of text:
DAR 171: 17
Summary:

Thanks for copy of Descent. Dining with Vernon Lushington, who is jubilant over the book.

Contributor:
Darwin Correspondence Project
From:
John Ferguson McLennan
To:
Charles Robert Darwin
Date:
24 Mar 1871
Source of text:
DAR 171: 18
Summary:

Unfortunately he has missed an opportunity to review Descent in Nature.

Contributor:
Darwin Correspondence Project
From:
John Ferguson McLennan
To:
Charles Robert Darwin
Date:
21 Aug 1871
Source of text:
DAR 171: 19
Summary:

Thanks CD for helping with arrangements for an American edition [of Primitive marriage (1865)].

He is an old friend of CD’s son-in-law, R. B. Litchfield, and of John Lubbock.

Contributor:
Darwin Correspondence Project
From:
John Ferguson McLennan
To:
Charles Robert Darwin
Date:
3 Feb 1874
Source of text:
McLennan 1896, pp. 50–5
Summary:

Discusses the evolution of marriage systems; considers the scheme of development CD proposes: 1. Polygyny and monogamy; 2. Polyandry; 3. Promiscuity; 4. Polygyny and monogamy in recurrence. Explains what he understands by promiscuity. JFM believes that polygyny, monogamy, and polyandry must have occurred in "every district from the first, and grown up together into systems sanctioned by usage first and then law". Considers polygyny necessarily the privilege of the few and, as a system, believes it had less to do than any other with the history of marriage. He sees polyandry as an advance from promiscuity and the stage at which contractual obligations between men and their wives begin.

Contributor:
Darwin Correspondence Project
From:
John Ferguson McLennan
To:
Charles Robert Darwin
Date:
5 May 1874
Source of text:
DAR 171: 20
Summary:

Would like to see C. S. Wake’s paper ["Marriage among primitive peoples", Anthropologia 1 (1873–5): 197–207].

Will return L. H. Morgan’s work [? Systems of consanguinity (1871)].

Murray suggests Macmillan’s are more likely to reprint JFMcL’s Primitive marriage.

Contributor:
Darwin Correspondence Project
From:
John Ferguson McLennan
To:
Charles Robert Darwin
Date:
8 May 1874
Source of text:
DAR 171: 21
Summary:

Thanks for issue of Anthropologia. Would be pleased if CD would write to Murray on his behalf.

Contributor:
Darwin Correspondence Project
From:
John Ferguson McLennan
To:
Charles Robert Darwin
Date:
13 May 1874
Source of text:
DAR 171: 22
Summary:

Bernard Quaritch interested in reprinting Primitive marriage.

Contributor:
Darwin Correspondence Project
From:
John Ferguson McLennan
To:
Charles Robert Darwin
Date:
7 Nov 1876
Source of text:
DAR 171: 23
Summary:

L. H. Morgan has plagiarised his and Henry Maine’s works for years.

Encourages George Darwin to continue his work on consanguineous marriages.

Contributor:
Darwin Correspondence Project
From:
John Ferguson McLennan
To:
Charles Robert Darwin
Date:
24 July 1877
Source of text:
DAR 171: 24
Summary:

Asks for details on CD’s Descent references to female infanticide.

JFM’s work on the laws of incest finds strong evidence for man’s relation to animals.

Contributor:
Darwin Correspondence Project
From:
John Ferguson McLennan
To:
Charles Robert Darwin
Date:
30 July 1877
Source of text:
DAR 171: 25
Summary:

Sees abortion as a refinement of infanticide; all such practices originate in female infanticide. Herbert Spencer’s over-speculation.

Contributor:
Darwin Correspondence Project