In despair: has lost his copy of Verlot’s memoir on variations of flowers [Sur la production et la fixation des variétés (1866)]. Has JDH borrowed it?
Has found Verlot.
His sister [Emily Catherine Langton] is dying [d. 2 Feb 1866].
His stomach still very bad. Writes one or two hours and reads a little.
JDH is a wretch to remind CD of his coal-plant prophecy.
Glad JDH will give Nottingham lecture.
Refers to part of JDH letter on glacial period sent on to Lyell. CD will not yield. Cannot think how JDH attaches so much attention to physicists. Has "come not to care at all for general beliefs without the special facts".
His health is improved but not so good as JDH supposes.
Extensive discussion of Pangenesis in reply to JDH’s comments.
Queries for John Smith [Kew curator] on crossing a cucumber variety.
Sad about Oliver’s loss.
JDH’s reference to odd Begonia at same time as an article about it came out in Gardeners’ Chronicle [(1866): 313–14].
Is astonished that Pangenesis seems perplexing to JDH. Pleads guilty to its being "wildly abominably speculative (worthy even of Herbert Spencer)".
Asks how many plants are proper to New Zealand for new edition [4th] of Origin.
Thanks for facts about New Zealand flora.
Needs Annales de la Société d’horticulture de Paris 7 (1830).
Asks that Oliver provide a reference for microscopical appearance and structure of a bud.
Was very well on first part of London visit.
No summary available.
Caspary wants to visit Down. CD would like to see him but dreads the exertion.
Pleased that JDH will get D.C.L. at Oxford.
Glad to see Asa Gray’s letter.
Asks whether he may insert a sentence about Cape Verde alpine plants in new edition [4th] of Origin.
Fears "twaddle" may also be the word for his two chapters on cultivated plants. Asks for Crawfurd’s paper.
Comments on JDH’s list – very good, but Orchids and Primula paper have too indirect a bearing to be worth mentioning. The Eozoon is a very important fact and to a much lesser degree the Archaeopteryx. Müller’s Für Darwin [1864] perhaps the most important contribution.
CD has forgotten to mention Bates on variation and JDH’s Arctic paper ["Distribution of Arctic plants", Trans. Linn. Soc. Lond. 23 (1862): 251–348] in new edition of Origin.
Now finds that Owen claims to be originator of natural selection.
No enclosure in JDH’s last letter.
Would like to be amused "for my stomach & the whole Universe is this day demoniacal in my eyes".
Thanks for Asa Gray’s letter, enclosed.
Knew JDH would not care about omissions but was vexed at his own forgetfulness.
Has heard from B. J. Sulivan about the fossils at Gallegos, Patagonia. Would be a great haul for palaeontology if Duke of Somerset would encourage Capt. Mayne to collect them [on survey of Magellan Strait].
Tells JDH of a new map of world that he might use in his lecture [on "Insular floras", BAAS, 1866, J. Bot. Br. & Foreign 5 (1867): 23–31; Gard. Chron. (1867): 6, 27, 50, 75].
Impressed by H. Spencer’s last number, but each suggestion would require years of work to be of use to science.
Asks help in naming a lupin, enclosed. Nurseryman said parties who make experiments should find the names. He might have added "and not trouble their friends".
His reasons for rejecting Atlantis hypothesis connecting Madeira and Canary Islands.
Answers JDH’s questions on connection of SE. England and continent,
on the effect of breaking the Isthmus of Panama,
and on Madeira flora as remnant of Tertiary flora.
Cautionary remarks for JDH on his "Insular floras" speech, designed to strengthen case of "occasional migration" theory.
CD defends his view of land birds on St Helena.
Explains why he would not expect American plants on the Azores.
It makes him miserable that he and JDH look at everything so differently.
