The Charles Darwin Collection
The Darwin Correspondence Project is publishing letters written by and to the naturalist Charles Darwin (1809–1882). Complete transcripts of letters are being made available through the Project’s website (www.darwinproject.ac.uk) after publication in the ongoing print edition of The Correspondence of Charles Darwin (Cambridge University Press 1985–). Metadata and summaries of all known letters (c. 15,000) appear in Ɛpsilon, and the full texts of available letters can also be searched, with links to the full texts.
The fourth number of part one of the Zoology has now been published. The Smith, Elder & Co. account is submitted.
Asks if he can bring his guests, J. C. L. and Mme [Simonde de] Sismondi and [Fanny] Allen, to CB’s parties.
Can give no information on the separation of the sexes in the guanaco.
Writes to find whether the date of the event [JMH’s marriage?] has been fixed.
Has been unwell and does not yet feel up to work.
Family news.
CD’s health is improving, but he has scarcely put pen to paper in the last half-year, and everything in the publishing line is going backwards.
Describes an orange tree with curious "horned" fruit; sends specimen. Asks if the horns represent "metamorphoses of some organ into the fruit orange".
Questions GNS on remains found in caves on Caldy Island. [CD’s pencilled queries sent via Frances Allen].
He encloses an unidentified paper received from R. I. Murchison the previous day.
Is unable to provide information about Dr Du Gard.
Appreciates the maps of Glen Roy sent by WB. Would welcome the opinions of WB and Louis Agassiz concerning the parallel roads but cannot give up the idea of their marine origin.
Sends his paper on earthquakes [(1840), Collected papers 1: 53–86]. Now sets less value on theoretical reasoning in geology than when he wrote it.
Recommends that Consul Chatfield’s communication on an earthquake in San Salvador [read 5 Feb 1840; Proc. Geol. Soc. Lond. 3 (1840): 179] not be published in Transactions.
Thanks GRG for his gift [A list of the genera of birds (1840)] and trusts that now GRG will be able to finish John Gould’s MS for Zoology.
Sorry that ill health prevented sooner reply. Letter about caves at Caldy was already read by Buckland. Will examine birds’ beaks when better and present to Geological Society of London in Smith’s name.
The second number of part four of the Zoology has now been published. The account of Smith, Elder & Co. is presented.
Remarks that each of two species of Fagus separated by 1000 miles has a fungus that grows on it; the fungus species are probably closely allied.
Acknowledges election as Honorary Member of Shropshire and North Wales Natural History and Antiquarian Society.
Feels he cannot keep the gift of Gould’s "magnificent work" or take out a subscription now that he is a married man.
Illness has long delayed CD’s thanks for WCR’s meteorological pamphlets and geological reports. Mentions a reference to whirlwinds leaving rotary patterns in desert sand.
Birds has gone to the printer.
Continues "to collect all kinds of facts about ""varieties and species"" " for his "some-day work".
Would be grateful for descriptions of offspring of crossbred domestic animals.
In a revise [of Birds] CD has altered "Colaptes Chilensis Vigors" to "Chrysoptilus Chilensis G. R. Gray". Is that right?
Sends proof of index of final number of Birds for checking.