Seeks information and observations on the contraction of the orbicular muscles as a consequence of skin irritation.

CD’s health has been poor.

Appreciates JBI’s letter and his expression of friendship.

In the opinion of a Q.C., Horsman has no case.

CD apologises for having thought that StGJM’s religious feelings had led him to feel personal animosity towards him. [See 7454.]

He remembers having thought and written that belief in evolution is infinitely more important for science than belief in Natural Selection. For his own part he would have felt little interest in evolution apart from the explanation "in a general manner" of how each organism is so adapted to its conditions.

Accepts the proposed corrections of his spelling except for "chloèn". [WSD was preparing the index for Descent, vol. 2.]

Obliged for specimens [of Paritium?].

Discusses difference between sport and parent tree.

Thanks RM for information on case of hexadactyly [see RM’s paper, "Hexadactylism", Land and Water, 11 March 1871, p. 179.

He has found passage on false belief, Variation 2: 414, and does not think the whole with context is dogmatic. [Encloses copy of the passage.]

Thanks JVC for his corrections. Will send other errata. Hopes to send remainder of vol. 2 [of Descent] in a fortnight.

Asks that review copy [of Descent] be sent to F. P. Cobbe.

Discusses mailing of presentation copies.

No summary available.

Responds to ARW’s comments on CD’s argument about protection in Descent.

Comments on St G. Mivart’s criticism [Genesis of species (1871)]. "The pendulum will now swing against us."

Returns pamphlets.

B. T. Lowne’s observation [Mon. Microsc. J. 4 (1870): 326–30] that boiling does not kill certain moulds is curious, but then how account for absence of all living things in Pasteur’s experiment?

Always delighted to see a word in favour of Pangenesis.

Thiselton-Dyer’s paper ["On spontaneous generation and evolution", Q. J. Microsc. Sci. 10 (1870): 333–54] is Spencerian.

The chemical conditions for first production of life are said to exist at present, but in some warm little pond today such matter would be absorbed or devoured, which would not have been the case before living creatures were formed.

Sends questions on expressions of Laura Bridgman.

Has finished Descent. Believes that parts, like that on moral sense, will aggravate AG.

Working on an essay on expression.

Will send copy of Descent.

Comments on JC-B’s MS on expression among insane. Asks about weeping in insane men. Do idiots laugh when pleased?

Thanks for photographs of insane. Asks for additional photographs.

Comments on Henry Maudsley [Body and mind (1870)].

Pointed ears in the insane.

Sends two waste sheets of MS of Descent; Miss F can cut out any portion she likes.

Asks that a presentation copy [of Descent?] be sent to Edward Blyth. Comments on publication.

Would like precise details about pouting of English children to add to his information about children of savages.

Discusses presentation copies [of Descent]. Dallas returned proofs of index on Friday. Asks for John Stuart Mill’s address.

Hopes German edition [of Descent] has not yet been printed because he has fallen into a most serious blunder [about sexual selection never acting on the young] on pp. 297–9 of vol. 1.

"I have made a serious blunder in p. 297, vol 1 of my book [Descent of man]. Kindly inform me by return of post whether this is printed in Dutch; for if not I will send you a correction in M.S. There are also two short omissions to be made in Vol. 2 … "