CD thinks better of "cousin paper" than GHD does.
With respect to GHD’s "viscous work", remembers endless discussions of movement of viscous matter 20 years back, apropos of movement of glaciers.
Appleton will bring out the new edition of Descent in the U. S., so GHD’s work will now be in three editions.
Returns historical sketch [of GHD’s "cousin paper"?] with comments. "For Heavens sake put a sentence in some conspicuous place that your results seem to indicate that consanguineous marriage, as far as insanity is concerned, cannot be injurious in any very high degree."
Regrets the trouble GHD has had.
J. T. Knowles [editor of Contemp. Rev.] hopes W. D. Whitney’s article will be a long one.
CD is sorry about GHD’s account of his low spirits. "I know well the feeling of life being objectless & all being vanity of vanities."
CD recounts events of the April-fool’s day séance at Hensleigh [Wedgwood]’s. Asks GHD to find out whether Sidgwick’s account of it agrees with what he has heard. "What rubbish the whole does seem to be!"
Suggests GHD write a supplement to his review [of A. H. Huth’s The marriage of near kin (1875)]. Feels sorry Huth was taken in by the Legrain fraud. [See Autobiography (1958), pp. 143–4.]
Sends comments and suggestions for Huth’s experiment on crossbreeding rabbits.
Pleased by W. Stanley Jevons’ letter.
Has ordered Dr Cohn’s book.
Is sure that GHD’s energy will lead to success with work on viscous fluids.
Asks that a copy of GHD’s paper on cousin marriage be sent to Hermann Müller. J. F. McLennan admires it "as a model".
Asks GHD to calculate average or mean heights of crossed and self-fertilised plant species.
Sends Mind. Henry Sidgwick’s article ["The theory of evolution in its application to practice", Mind 1 (1876): 52–67] is so clear it makes CD feel "a muddle-headed man". But he disagrees with Sidgwick on the origin of morality within tribes.
Is sure mathematical discussion of elevation of continents will be valued by geologists.
Comments on the reaction of geologists to GHD’s work on elevation of continents.
Further comments on GHD’s work on the influence of geological changes on the earth’s axis.
Frank [Francis Darwin] has made a fine zoological discovery.
Is determined not to believe in GHD’s astronomical work until J. C. Adams accepts it, for he would be so disappointed if it breaks down.
All rejoice that J. C. Adams thinks well of GHD’s work and will present his paper to the Royal Society.
Gives news of his other sons.
Has received a baffling article on God, immortality, and socialism under a Darwinian point of view.
Clerk Maxwell has disagreed with CD on molecular calculations in relation to Pangenesis in Encyclopaedia Britannica article ["Atom", Encyclopaedia Britannica, 9th ed. (1875) 3: 36–49].
Refers him to Nature [14 (1876): 553] in which a Russian doctor [Prof. Poplavsky] contradicts GHD on deaf mutes not being closely interrelated.
"Frank has sent the cards here."
