Has visited T. V. Wollaston, who is working hard but lives too solitary a life.

There are further legal complications with William Darwin’s partnership and CD’s solicitor wants to call on JL.

Mentions Dutch translation [of Origin].

Discusses evolutionary origin of sexuality.

Asa Gray’s suggestion that variation was directed by a higher power and Herschel’s view of providential arrangement in nature.

Compares variation in domestic and wild species.

Asks CL for introductions for his son William in Southampton, where he has joined a bank.

Asks JL’s advice about details of William’s proposed banking partnership. CD’s solicitor is suspicious of Atherley’s long-term intentions.

Bentham has sent a damaged spurless Orchis pyramidalis; asks CL to send another. Fears they are irregular monsters. [See Orchids, pp. 47–8.]

JL’s kindness has laid William and himself "under an enduring obligation". One clause in the partnership agreement seems harsh but will probably never signify.

With some hesitation CD’s solicitor advises acceptance of partnership offered to William.

Has found function of rostellum: modified stigma guarantees attachment of pollinia.

Personal regards.

William Darwin will make a botanist.

Thanks CL for orchids acquired from a collector.

Discusses role of Providence in variation. Does CL honestly think it applies to variations in domestication? If not ordained there, sees no reason for it in nature either.

Has found hundreds of Spiranthes.

JL is thinking of moving to Brighton.

As a general rule CD thinks it best to deposit specimens in the British Museum, and "bitterly regrets" he did not send all his specimens there. Nevertheless he agrees to sending his crustaceans to the Oxford Museum.

CD is at work on Orchids. He would be greatly obliged if JOW could send him specimens of pollen-masses attached to head or base of proboscis of moths.

Asks for reference to Morren’s paper that JOW mentioned before [see 2862].

Suggests change in a passage [in MS] of CL’s [Antiquity of man (1863)] dealing with adaptations for travel.

Comments on review of Origin by F. W. Hutton [Geologist (1861): 132–6, 183–8].

Emphasises importance of variability for natural selection.

Discusses possiblity of intelligent causes in variation.

Thanks correspondent for a remarkable instance of inheritance [not specified].

Instructions to a book seller.

Found NA’s A survey of human progress [1861] on his return home after two months’ absence. Is glad to see NA kept his intention of publishing on this subject.

Asks for return of his MS [unspecified].

Orchid anatomy. Requests Lindley’s work on orchids [The genera and species of orchidaceous plants (1830–40)].

Would welcome any facts on correlation, or GM’s criticisms. Explains how natural selection could produce apparent correlation of characters, but feels GM’s Pelargonium example must arise from the leaves and petals being similarly affected at an early stage by an unknown cause.