Invitation to dine at the Darwins’ with J. S. Henslow.
Two letters for WED at E. A. Darwin's. G. H. Darwin has been to dentist. Please collect and pay for GHD’s skates.
Glad to hear of the plant; CD instructs WED to make further observations. If it is a good case he will insist on WED’s sending a communication to the Linnean Society.
Health very bad. All scientific work stopped for 2½ months.
E. B. Tylor’s Early history of mankind [1865] impresses him.
Would like JDH’s opinion of last number of Spencer’s [Principles of] Biology [vol. 1 (1864)], especially on umbellifers. CD not satisfied with Spencer’s views on irregular flowers.
ED reports on CD’s health.
A draft letter [but sent in the original state by Emma Darwin]. Approves of FJW’s notice of his views.
CD has slightly revised parts in view of both approving and disapproving critics, but still remains convinced about his fundamental notions.
The entire family will set out for Malvern for six to eight weeks’ trial of J. M. Gully’s water-cure.
Family news.
Is hopeful about Anne after receiving an encouraging message.
Gives her reactions to CD’s reports on Anne’s health.
Discusses Anne’s sickness and her hope.
Thanks CD for his Monday notes about Anne, which are much better than previous ones.
Tells of the hopes raised by CD’s letter of Monday regarding Anne’s health.
Her reactions to Anne’s death; hopes CD may soon return.
Describes her compassion for all his sufferings and writes of her wish that his gratitude could be offered to heaven as well as to herself. To her, the only relief is to try to believe that suffering and illness are from God’s hand "to help us to exalt our minds & to look forward with hope to a future state".
CD too ill to write.
He thanks Appleton for most beautiful work of natural history he has ever seen.
Encloses a four-page printed pamphlet on the cruelty of steel traps [see Collected papers 2: 83–4].
CD too unwell to read. JS should not send Primula paper MS until CD returns home.
JS’s MS [of Primula paper] arrived, but CD is too ill to read it.
CD has sent JS’s paper on orchid sterility to Botanische Zeitung and to Hooker.
Thanks to WDF’s directions, Anne’s tombstone has been found.
CD improved, but recovery is slow. She describes treatment.
Encloses paper she and CD have written [see 4294, which was wrongly addressed by ED and had not reached WDF].
Apologises that CD is too unwell to do any work, but he is most interested in the frequent occurrence of inherited variations in one locality. It would have been a pleasure to visit if his health had permitted.
CD’s health.
Family and local news.