Henrietta’s illness.
CD’s resort to [E. W. Lane’s] water-cure.
Other family news.
Etty [Henrietta Darwin] much improved.
Reference to his "hobby of striped asses".
Sceptical of JBI’s "curious stories" on spirit-tapping: "believe nothing one hears & only half of what one sees".
Going to sea-side for Etty’s health.
Asks JBI further questions about a striped donkey he had reported to CD.
Etty has had a relapse. "What the end will be, we know not."
News of Etty’s health and of neighbours.
Pleased that JBI likes Origin.
CD never expected to convert people in less than 20 years, though now convinced he is "in the main right". Bishop of Oxford’s review made "splendid fun" of him.
Delighted to have Quiz [Johnny Innes’ dog].
Arrangements for receiving Quiz.
Quiz arrived safely.
CD’s three sons are in bed with bad colds.
Has heard of mules of canary and other finches breeding occasionally, but it is rare, and there is hardly one authenticated case of two such mules breeding together.
Sixteen of the household at Down are sick with influenza.
Quiz has had to be killed because he became vicious.
Horace Darwin strangely ill.
Family and local news.
Family and local news, and memories of old times.
CD’s youngest son, Horace, is too delicate to go to school.
CD has had a bad summer, is still ill, can do very little work – "Botany … is all that I am good for".
CD thanks JBI for contribution to Down school.
George [Darwin] has passed his examination at Cambridge;
Henrietta has been poorly.
CD writes in detail about difficulties with Horsman’s financial accounts and the affairs of the parish.
Surprised and pleased JBI liked his "big book" [Variation].
Luckily, naturalists do not seem to think he has committed suicide with the work.
CD wants to turn over the school accounts to John Robinson [curate of Down]. Writes of other parish news.
Will vote in person for Sir John Lubbock.
Problems with Mr Robinson, who has suddenly departed for Ireland for a month. The parish urgently needs some respectable man to hold the living permanently.
Does not think the supposed cow–deer hybrid worth investigating.
John Robinson [the curate at Down] reported to be walking with girls at night.
Describes an animal that is said to be a hybrid between a cow and a deer.
Has received JBI’s two letters; agrees with him, but does not know what to do about [the alleged misconduct of] John Robinson. Reports in a long postscript on vain efforts to confirm rumours. Suggests JBI come to Down to see how affairs stand.
CD gets so many foolish letters from foolish people he has little heart to write to friends.
Gives Down news.
R. H. Hutton, editor of the Spectator, is a clever man.
CD has been much abused, praised, and chaffed by newspapers lately.