Accepts CD’s proposal for new revised edition of Origin; will pay $50 [dollars or pounds!?] for casts of the plates and pay CD on sales.

Appleton edition of CD’s Journal of researches [1871] still selling well.

Also wants plates sent with CD’s new work on Expression. CD should arrange this with Murray’s.

Thanks for new [6th] edition of Origin, which he read with great interest. Would welcome an edition with references to works cited.

Compares Origin to Newton’s Principia and Adam Smith’s Wealth of nations.

His view of CD’s response to Mivart.

On mammae;

gradualism of evolution;

suicide among savages.

Received copy of Origin 6th ed. Has had trouble with worm measurements at Winchester.

Sends 6th ed. of Origin;

draws attention to his criticism of ARW’s estimate of Kovalevsky;

mentions his disagreement with much of Spencer’s doctrine

and in a postscript points out an inaccuracy in an article in Once a Month.

Thanks for a quarto work on the mining industry. CD’s sons much obliged for kindness in California.

Saw editor of the Pall Mall Gazette about review of Origin and Genesis of species.

Enclosed account has had charged against it difference in costs between type composition in the U. S. and securing stereotype plates from Murray. CD should insist on securing plates from the London publisher of all future books, otherwise Appleton unable to pay 10% of gross price.

Asks for investment advice.

Wants AR to make any observations she can on the occurrence of little ledges on the side of steep, turf-covered slopes. Feels they may result from the washing down of worm-castings.

Asks for the negative and permission to publish photo of smiling girl. [Expression, p. 202, plate III, fig. 2.]

Reports the case of a cockerel raised in isolation from other cocks which repeatedly attempted, but failed, to crow properly.

Also discusses behaviour in horses; one male will "look after" 20–25 females.

Has read correspondent’s work. Glad he is not shocked at belief that man is descendant of lower form. An unusual attitude for a Frenchman.

Fears they differ greatly on origins of moral sense.

Asks AWB for a reference to a paper;

thanks him for his generous review of the last edition [6th] of the Origin.

Amount of clay present in certain chalk samples.

Disagrees with the "Darwinian theory"; does not see evidence enough to support it. Will send CD any notes he makes for or against.

Has been looking for something about crop rotation in Origin and Variation.

Glad AW’s eyesight is better.

Has received AW’s essay [Einfluss der Isolierung (1872)].

Glad he is turning attention to sexual selection. Hardly any naturalists agree with CD on subject.

AE, philosophy professor, is disposed to accept natural selection, but argues that it lacks direction. Suggests that direction would be given if one assumed the appearance of multiple advantageous traits in a single individual. Cites Herbert Spencer, Rudolf Virchow, Claude Bernard, and Carl Vogt.

David Forbes thinks WED’s chalk samples have been penetrated by surface mud.