From:
George Howard Darwin
To:
Charles Robert Darwin
Date:
2 May 1872
Source of text:
DAR 89: 131–2, 187
Summary:
Sends sentences from Hermann von Helmholtz about difference between minor and major chords.
Contributor:
Darwin Correspondence Project
From:
Charles Robert Darwin
To:
Henry Johnson
Date:
2 May [1872]
Source of text:
Torquay Museum Society (AR470)
Summary:
Thanks for notes on worm-castings. Amount of ammonia surprises CD. David Forbes asserts that published analysis of carbon in vegetable matter valueless. Suspects that worms search for food and do not blindly swallow earth.
Contributor:
Darwin Correspondence Project
From:
Charles Robert Darwin
To:
George Howard Darwin
Date:
3 May [1872]
Source of text:
DAR 210.1: 7
Summary:
Thanks GHD for extracts, but says the subject of music is beyond him.
Suggests that GHD deliberate over one or two sentences of his paper on dress ["Developments in dress", Macmillan’s Mag. 22 (1872): 410–16].
Refers to prospective marriage of Amy [Ruck and CD’s son Francis].
Contributor:
Darwin Correspondence Project
From:
William Winwood Reade
To:
Charles Robert Darwin
Date:
3 May 1872
Source of text:
DAR 176: 59
Summary:
Glad Mrs Darwin likes his preface, but fears she will not like his tone on religion.
Contributor:
Darwin Correspondence Project
From:
Jacob Heinrich Schmick
To:
Charles Robert Darwin
Date:
3 May 1872
Source of text:
DAR 177: 56
Summary:
Having sent CD his two essays outlining his theory on "A secular transposition of oceans" [see 7368], JHS now forwards to CD a book he believes establishes his theory as an "eternal law of nature" [Die neue Theorie periodische säkularer Schwankungen des Seespiegels [periodischer!?] (1872)].
Contributor:
Darwin Correspondence Project
From:
Paolo Mantegazza
To:
Charles Robert Darwin
Date:
4 May 1872
Source of text:
DAR 171: 38
Summary:
CD has been elected Honorary Member of Società Italiana di Antropologia e di Etnologia.
Cranial measurements connect man and apes.
He has shown differences between male and female skulls that bear on sexual selection.
Contributor:
Darwin Correspondence Project
From:
Charles Robert Darwin
To:
Heinrich Ludwig Hermann (Hermann) Müller
Date:
[before 5 May 1872]
Source of text:
DAR 146: 433; DAR 194: 1; Krause ed. 1885–6, 2: 84–8
Summary:
Comments on HM’s paper ["Anwendung der Darwin’schen Lehre auf Bienen", Verh. Naturhist. Ver. preuss. Rheinland 29 (1872): 1–96];
sexual selection in bees.
Encloses account on habits of Bombus.
Contributor:
Darwin Correspondence Project
From:
Heinrich Ludwig Hermann (Hermann) Müller
To:
Charles Robert Darwin
Date:
5 May 1872
Source of text:
DAR 171: 298
Summary:
Thanks CD for MS on the routes of male bees.
His "Fertilisation of flowers" is complete [Die Befruchtung der Blumen (1873)].
Contributor:
Darwin Correspondence Project
From:
Charles Robert Darwin
To:
Williams & Norgate
Date:
6 May [1872]
Source of text:
DAR 249: 118
Summary:
"Be so good as to send me Unsere Zeit with Julius Frauenstädt’s article ["Darwin’s Auffassung des geistigen und sittlichen Lebens des Menschen" n.s. 8 (May 1872), 597–605]. I am much obliged for the information."
Contributor:
Darwin Correspondence Project
From:
Albrecht Carl Ludwig Gotthilf (Albert) Günther
To:
Charles Robert Darwin
Date:
10 May 1872
Source of text:
DAR 165: 247
Summary:
Wants CD’s support for his application for post of Assistant Keeper in Zoological Department of British Museum.
Death of G. R. Gray.
Contributor:
Darwin Correspondence Project
From:
Charles Robert Darwin
To:
Charles Lyell, 1st baronet
Date:
10 May [1872]
Source of text:
American Philosophical Society (Mss.B.D25.415)
Summary:
Comments on CL’s Principles of geology, 11th ed.
Discusses natural selection in man.
Contributor:
Darwin Correspondence Project
From:
Samuel Butler
To:
Charles Robert Darwin
Date:
11 May 1872
Source of text:
DAR 106: A3–5
Summary:
His chapter on machines in Erewhon has been misunderstood as laughing at the Origin. He was only trying to show how an absurd proposition can be defended with a little ingenuity, distortion, and departure from strict scientific method. Will explain in a second edition, if one is called for.
Contributor:
Darwin Correspondence Project
From:
Charles Robert Darwin
To:
Albrecht Carl Ludwig Gotthilf (Albert) Günther
Date:
11 May [1872]
Source of text:
Natural History Museum, Library and Archives (General Library Günther 44)
Summary:
Encloses a testimonial for AG [in support of his application for a promotion at British Museum].
Does he agree with Carl Gegenbaur’s paper on the limbs of fish [Jenaische Z. Naturwiss. 5 (1870): 397–447]?
Asks what caused G. R. Gray’s sudden death.
Contributor:
Darwin Correspondence Project
From:
Joseph Dalton Hooker
To:
Charles Robert Darwin
Date:
11 May 1872
Source of text:
DAR 103: 109–10
Summary:
The die is cast on Ayrton affair. Lord Derby has called for all of the correspondence, as a result of pressure by men of science on JDH’s behalf.
Has just had a Greenland collection, which supports his views altogether; "I am ready to do fight for these with you."
Contributor:
Darwin Correspondence Project
From:
Charles Robert Darwin
To:
Francis Darwin
Date:
13 May [1872]
Source of text:
DAR 153: 17
Summary:
Will FD try to persuade A. D. Bartlett to show a live snake to a porcupine and observe whether the porcupine rattles the quills on its tail? [See 8333.]
Contributor:
Darwin Correspondence Project
From:
Albrecht Carl Ludwig Gotthilf (Albert) Günther
To:
Charles Robert Darwin
Date:
13 May 1872
Source of text:
DAR 165: 248
Summary:
Thanks for CD’s testimonial.
Contributor:
Darwin Correspondence Project
From:
Charles Robert Darwin
To:
Albrecht Carl Ludwig Gotthilf (Albert) Günther
Date:
13 May [1872]
Source of text:
Shrewsbury School, Taylor Library
Summary:
Is the horned toad of Oregon a batrachian or a lizard?
Hopes AG will be promoted in the British Museum.
Contributor:
Darwin Correspondence Project
From:
Joseph Dalton Hooker
To:
Emma Wedgwood; Emma Darwin
Date:
[13 May 1872]
Source of text:
DAR 103: 111
Summary:
Work will prevent his visiting Down as he had planned.
Contributor:
Darwin Correspondence Project
From:
Charles Robert Darwin
To:
Henrietta Emma Darwin; Henrietta Emma Litchfield
Date:
13 May 1872
Source of text:
DAR 185: 32
Summary:
Wishes to insert R. B. Litchfield’s remarks [into Expression] but will not give them as his own.
Contributor:
Darwin Correspondence Project
From:
William Bernhard Tegetmeier
To:
Charles Robert Darwin
Date:
13 May 1872
Source of text:
DAR 88: 175–6, DAR 90: 101, DAR 178: 83, DAR 193: 22
Summary:
Has found the skull of the horned cock.
With regard to CD’s suggestion about the possibility of producing a pigeon breed with differently coloured sexes, WBT reports the results of crossing blue and silver dragons; the silver offspring are almost always hens.
Would like the latest edition of the Origin.
Encloses notes on volume one [of Descent].
Encloses a photograph showing the bleaching effect of the sun’s rays on dun feathers in pigeons.
Contributor:
Darwin Correspondence Project