Has read the Origin several times. His position is like Asa Gray’s: he wishes to believe in descent, but proofs of natural selection are lacking.
Looks forward to CD’s promised large book.
Thanks for Primula paper [Collected papers 2: 45–63]. Did CD sow the seeds of his crosses? One would like to know whether the two forms reappear at random.
Leonard has scarlet fever; CD is sorry WED is unwell.
Sorry he did not meet CD in London.
Discusses investment in land as compared with railway shares.
Sends condolences on death of LH’s wife. Recalls many pleasant hours in Bedford Place. He and Emma thank LH for sending the memorial paper.
It would be a pleasure to see "the first enunciator of the theory of Natural Selection" but his health makes it impossible. Hopes to come to London soon and would like to arrange an interview with PM if he is staying more than a week.
CD orders electrotypes for German edition of Orchids.
Asa Gray doubts an American publication is possible but will review it in Sillimans Journal.
[British] botanists have praised it. Other reviews.
Sends answer to Wedgwood’s query
and is sorry to hear CD is again unwell.
His book is progressing very slowly.
Asks that CD not make use of any of the facts about generative organs in beetles for he finds "such a chaos of statements" that facts are not to be depended upon.
WED’s travel plans; an insect he has observed on Orchis maculata.
No summary available.
Thanks JHB for specimen of Corallorrhiza;
would like some seeds of Corydalis claviculata.
No summary available.
JH regrets he will not have time to review paper on Indian meteorology.
Refers to his Primula paper [Collected papers 2: 45–63]. Asks GHKT to investigate a similar case in Cinchona.
Is pleased that AdeC is interested in the Primula case ["Dimorphic condition of Primula", Collected papers 2: 45–63]. Is pursuing analogous experiments on other plants and on seedlings raised from the unions.
CD’s "large work" progresses slowly owing to ill health and his work on Orchids.
CD is not surprised that AdeC is unwilling to admit natural selection – "the subject hardly admits of direct proof or evidence. It will be believed in only by those who think that it connects & partly explains several large classes of facts".
Hopes AdeC will publish on Quercus
and rejoices that he intends to return to the study of geographical distribution. No one can claim to have read AdeC’s truly great work on that subject [Géographie botanique (1855)] with more care than CD.
Has broken up school a few days early to avoid danger. Hopes CD’s son is nearly recovered.
Enclosed is from Mr. Moffat, son of the missionary. Thanks for the essay on Meteorology. The Cape Meteorological Observations for 1841-7 were printed under the direction of Edward Sabine. The mss. for the later series are in possession of Robert FitzRoy, who is trying to find the means to print them. Serious gales at the Cape. Vessel wrecked on Sunday night attempting to enter Table Bay.
Asks experienced observers whether there are any marked differences between bees kept in different parts of Germany.
No summary available.
Superb, but exaggerated, review [of Orchids, by M. J. Berkeley] in London Review [& wkly J. Polit. 4 (1862): 553–4]. Asa Gray thinks almost as highly. "I have not been a fool, as I thought I was, to publish." The Athenæum review will hinder sales greatly.
Is an amateur astronomer, interested especially in sidereal astronomy. Has constructed a small telescope. Can JH advise him on good books dealing with sidereal astronomy?