Ɛpsilon

To G. J. Romanes   3 February 1880

Down, | Beckenham, Kent. | Railway Station | Orpington. S.E.R.

Feb 3. 1880

My dear Romanes,

I will keep your diagram for a few days, but I find it very difficult now to think over new subjects, so that it is not likely that I shall be able to send any criticisms; but you may rely on it that I will do my best.1

I am glad you like Guthries book.2 The two inclosed letters from Mr Moulton on the subject are I think worth your reading, but you must consider them private & please return them. He doesn’t think much of Guthrie as a physicist.3

If you care to read a little book on pure instinct get Fabre Souvenirs Entomologiques 1879. It is really admirable, and very good on the sense of direction in insects  I have sent him some suggestions such as rotating the insects but I do not know whether he will try them.4

I have been very glad to read Grant Allen’s letter; we have all done a good work.5

Yours very sincerely | Charles Darwin

LS

1
Romanes’s letter has not been found; the diagram was evidently an early version of a fold-out one opposite the title page of Mental evolution in animals (G. J. Romanes 1883); the published diagram detailed the evolution of emotions and intellect across the animal world over time, as well as showing the development of these faculties in humans from birth to age 15 months.
2
Malcolm Guthrie had written a critique of Herbert Spencer’s views on CD’s theory of natural selection, On Mr. Spencer’s formula of evolution (Guthrie 1879). CD had discussed the book with family members and friends in December 1879 (see Correspondence vol. 27).
3
John Fletcher Moulton had read Guthrie 1879 after discussing it with CD, and sent two letters giving his opinion of the book (see Correspondence vol. 27, letters from J. F. Moulton, 10 December 1879 and 13 December 1879). In his letter of 10 December 1879, Moulton had criticised Guthrie’s use of physical terminology without accurate knowledge of what the terms meant, and referred to the critique of Spencer as ‘a pseudo-scientific criticism of a pseudo-scientific work’.
4
Jean-Henri Fabre had sent CD a copy of Souvenirs entomologiques (Fabre 1879). For CD’s comments on the book, including his suggestions for experiments on the sense of direction of insects, see the letter to J.-H. Fabre, 31 January 1880.
5
Romanes evidently sent a letter he received from Grant Allen with his now missing letter (letter from Grant Allen to G. J. Romanes, 28 January 1880). CD had contributed to a subscription to send Allen and his family to the French Riviera for the winter of 1879–80 (see Correspondence vol. 27, letter to G. J. Romanes, 23 July 1879 and n. 1).

Please cite as “DCP-LETT-12454,” in Ɛpsilon: The Charles Darwin Collection accessed on 5 June 2025, https://epsilon.ac.uk/view/dcp-data/letters/DCP-LETT-12454