"I am at work on the nervous mimicry of organic disease: I have some hope that, during my work, I may fall on some facts which may be of interest to you, and you may be sure that I shall send them to you."
"I am at work on the nervous mimicry of organic disease: I have some hope that, during my work, I may fall on some facts which may be of interest to you, and you may be sure that I shall send them to you."
Notes some corrections for 2d ed. of Descent.
Worm action at Stonehenge.
Gladstone’s private secretary [West] has written that the Government plans to alter JDH’s position with regard to the First Commissioner of Works [Ayrton].
Huxley is not better after his Brighton trip.
The difficulties of incorporating the reorganised chapters of the 6th English edition of Origin into JJM’s translation, which was made from the 5th edition.
[Letter incomplete. This letter bears no salutation or date & begins mid sentence. The date & recipient of the letter have been surmised from adjacent letters in the series.] JDH writes of a speech given about the work of his father, Sir William Jackson Hooker. At this event JDH's health was given by Colvile, JDH in turn toasted Airys, of whom he has a low opinion. Mentions that he had previously been unaware of 'Park's obliquities'. Provides Asa Gray with references for Agarista from Don & De Candolle. Mentions Gray's feelings about his students passing & compares them to his lingering memories of his sea travels, including an apocryphal story about a retired boatswain. Penstemon palmeri is not featured in the BOTANICAL MAGAZINE. Backhouse is selfish about sharing the material Gray sends him. JDH is glad Gray will use Hillebrands seeds. JDH has finished part two of THE FLORA OF BRITISH INDIA with Amantiaceae[?] & Geraniaceae. He lists which orders different botanists will work on for part three. Bennett will do Sernambaceae[?], Ochna, Bursaria; Hiern Meliaceae; JDH Chaetost[oma] & Sabiaceae; Masters Olaceae, Thiselton-Dyer Anacard[iaceae] & Baker Leguminosae. He is also working on the GENERA PLANTARUM, for which George Bentham is doing the Mimoseae.
No summary available.
JDH writes to Thiselton-Dyer regarding Norman Lockyer & Alexander MacMillan, respectively editor & Scottish publisher of NATURE; to which JDH has lent his name. Lockyer has not sent JDH a copy of William Carruthers' letter, JDH considers Carruthers' intellect muddled by a 'fear of extinction'. JDH is going to the funeral of an old friend, Archibald Smith of Jordanhill, in Kensal Green the following day. JDH invites Thiselton-Dyer to dine with him & his cousin Francis 'Frank' Palgrave.
Photographic copy of John Opie's (1761-1807) 1798 portrait of Pleasance Smith.
[Note in pencil by Robert Kippist on reverse] received from Lady Smith 17 September 1872.
Extract from the History of the rise and progress of the Killerby, Studley and Warlaby herds of shorthorns by William Carr (1867).
Queries about the pitch of children’s crying.
Heartily glad about the news of the Ayrton affair development.
Huxley looks very unwell from too much miscellaneous work; CD wishes he could be made a Director General for transference of British Museum and for other scientific work, as JDH suggests.
Thanks for letter [8137]. Finds observation at Stonehenge of depth of mould at different parts of slope "most valuable".
Further details and measurements of the stones in the courtyard pavement for CD’s investigation of earthworm action.
Sends comments on his diagram of Stonehenge. Will go to Beaulieu.
Sends his reply to Huxley’s criticisms [Contemp. Rev. 19 (1872): 168–97].
Was unaware that chapter headings [of Origin] had been printed off [in French edition (1873)]. Suggests that new part of chapter 7 be printed as appendix.
Feels that StGJM’s review of Descent [Q. Rev. 131 (1871): 47–90] greatly misrepresents CD’s opinions and conclusions. Feels their differences of opinion are so great that discussion of almost any subject would be a waste of both their time.
Praises MT’s observations and asks her to repeat experiments on the the relation of sexes of butterflies to the nutrition of the larvae.
Is glad she will publish her observations on Drosera.
Asks her to probe worm-holes on grassy slopes with a knitting needle to ascertain whether they come out at right angles to the slope or to the horizon.