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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.
Invites CD to visit offices of the Field; editor wishes CD to place natural history inquiries there.
CD sends thanks for information; will write about the fins.
His health is weak and he is "almost smothered" with facts and inquiries, so is trying to restrict the scope of his present work, on variation under domestication.
Answers TR’s query about stomata.
CD will use "weeping trees" as an example of how inexplicable the laws of inheritance are, and asks for facts on character of seedlings.
Suggests collecting seeds at different heights from British Columbia.
Describes experiment on seeds from short anthers.
C. V. Naudin writes he has discovered cause of hybrid sterility.
Asks JJB for date of his article in the Field dealing with the regeneration of fishes’ fins; additional questions about the fish.
Answers D. Beaton’s criticism of Gärtner’s work, defending his results in crossing experiments and vindicating the memory of "one of the most laborious lovers of truth who ever lived".
Is pleased that CD has [Roland] Trimen to collect specimens of Cape orchids. Suggests directions for securing dry specimens of what he draws.
Identifies Disa barbata and D. Cornuta of the Ophridiae.
His observations of "selection" in growth of seedling trees.
Thanks CL for "the great book" [Antiquity of man (1863)].
Richard Owen "ought to be ostracised by every Naturalist in England".
CL’s book will "give the whole subject of change of species an enormous advance".
Thinks he may be appointed Commodore commanding the Squadron on the west coast of S. America. Wishes to leave England for his health’s sake.
Hopes CD has received a copy of his [Manual of] Geology [1862]; justifies his assertion that geology provides no evidence to support the view that life has evolved through a method of development from species to species.
Hopes they might meet as WDF has to come to town.
Thanks for informative letter of 2 February. CD is glad to have CVN’s opinion on the crossing of varieties of melons,
has made use of his memoir on the Cucurbitaceae ["Cucurbitacées cultivées au Muséum d’Histoire Naturelle en 1862", Ann. Sci. Nat. (Bot.) 18 (1863): 159–208]
and anticipates with great interest his work on hybridisation.
Forwards a book [Horace Dobell, Lectures on the germs and vestiges of disease (1861)] and a genealogical table at the author’s request.
Wishes to order Botanische Zeitung for 2 and 9 January 1863.
Has read Origin with satisfaction. He had long ago come to consider the fixity of species as contrary to the facts, but could see no suitable alternative. The Origin has brought the light to guide him.
Sends CD a copy of his latest work ["Mémoire sur la production artificielle des monstruosités", Ann. Sci. Nat. (Zool.) 4th ser. 18 (1862): 243–76]. Hopes to explain a great number of anomalies by his experimental work on artificially produced monstrosities.
On six-fingered men: suspects increase confined to metacarpals and digits. Has asked James Paget to look it up.
Invites WDF to Down.
His stomach now so bad he cannot stay, even with close relations, for more than half an hour at a time.
Cites [C. F.?] Burdach as the source of a note on atavism in alternate generations.
Wants to talk to CD about inheritance.
Sends some tickets so that CD’s son might see [an unspecified] model.