Wonders whether CD would be interested in a book by Dr Bucknell [J. C. Bucknill?] on psychology.
Writes of "the Dr’s" [Henry Holland’s] mixed reactions to the book.
Adds a personal opinion, "it is the most interesting book I ever read".
The antlers of 800 deer of the glacial period have been found in a cave. They show great variety of form, but gradation from one to the other can be traced when all are laid out. Suggests CD study changes that have taken place in the species since glacial period.
Has ordered the wicked book [Origin] CD has been so long a-hatching.
Congratulates CD on Origin; has been "initiated into an entirely new province of knowledge".
Notes error involving rhinoceros.
Encloses other notes.
Suggests giving Marcus Huish permission to shoot over CD’s Beesby estate, but not to revoke JH’s occasional privilege to take a visitor shooting there.
Will secure information on indigenous and naturalised bees as CD requests.
Believes Mexican and Jamaican Melipona are different.
Sends some bees CD requested
and discusses the differences among several animal species on islands of the West Indies.
Comments on the Origin. Outlines difficulties he finds in CD’s theory. Believes CD must define natural selection more accurately and mentions instances in which that principle is an insufficient cause to account for the form of certain structures.
Relieved by Wallace’s letter.
At work on introductory essay to Flora Tasmaniae.
European plants naturalised in Australia are almost all adapted to invading disturbed ground.
JDH supports Asa Gray against Alphonse de Candolle as foreign member of Royal Society.
Outlines the basic categories of phanerogams.
Places Gymnospermae in the dicotyledons.
Evaluates the variable utility of embryological characters in plant classification.
Lyell has been strongly urging John Murray to publish CD’s book [Origin]. JDH feels Lyell overestimates the public interest in such works.
Gives examples of plants showing most marked varieties on the edge of their range.
JDH’s congratulations on Origin.
Lyell believes S. P. Woodward wrote review in Athenæum.
Lyell’s and Huxley’s positive responses.
JDH has only plunged into a few chapters.
JDH half through Origin. High praise for facts and reasoning.
Lyell told JDH his criticisms: small matters JDH did not appreciate.
Reactions of G. Bentham, J. S. Henslow, and C. C. Babington.
Forwards letter from Asa Gray.
Bentham is very agitated by Origin. CD over-emphasises natural selection. His theory accounts for too much and would be improved by unburdening it of natural selection.
Hooker is “relieved and pleased” by the letters from ARW that Darwin had forwarded regarding ARW’s reaction to the joint reading of their papers at the Linnean Society in 1858. He discusses his progress on his Australian article. [Hooker, J. D. 1859. On The Flora of Australia: Its Origin, Affinities, and Distribution. In: Botany of the Antarctic Expedition. Part 3: Flora of Tasmania, vol. 1. London: Lovell Reeve.] He discusses potential candidates for the Royal Society’s new Foreign Fellow.
Hooker to send copy of his essay to ARW.
Serial homologies in the Mollusca. Gives instances of repetition of homological parts in Radiata.
Has just finished Origin. CD has demonstrated a true cause for the production of species.
CD has loaded himself with unnecessary difficulty in adopting natura non facit saltum.
Cannot agree with all of CD’s views [in Origin].
Thinks too much is made of the Galapagos. The peculiarity of their ornithology will break down.
Offers to answer any questions on ornithology.
Will judge CD’s book [Origin] free from two superstitions: the dogma of the permanent species and the need of an act of intervention to bring change.
