WCP1956

Letter (WCP1956.1846)

[1]

Down,

Beckenham, Kent.

[2 September 1872]1

My dear Wallace

I write a line to say that I understood, but I may of course have been mistaken, from Huxley2 that Bastian3 distinctly stated that he had watched the development of the scale of Sphagnum: I was astonished, as I knew the appearance of Sphagnum under a high power, & asked a second time; but I repeat that I may have been mistaken.— Busk4 told me that Sharpey5 had noticed the appearance of numerous infusoria [2] in one of the solutions not containing any nitrogen; & I do not suppose that any physiologist w[oul]d. admit the possibility of infusoria absorbing nitrogen gas.— Possibly I ought not to have mentioned fact statements made in private conversation, so please do not repeat them. I quite agree about the extreme importance of such men, as Cohn6, Trecul7 & [3] Carter8 having observed apparent cases of Heterogenesis.— At present I sh[oul]d. prefer any mad hypothesis, such as that every disintegrated molecule of the lowest forms can reproduce the parent-form; & that these molecules are universally distributed & that they do not lose their vital power until heated to such a temperature that they decompose like dead organic particles.

I am extremely grieved to hear about the museum: it is a great misfortune.9—

Yours most sincerely | C. Darwin [signature]

I have taken up old Botanical work & have given up all theories.—

[4] I quite agree about Howarth's paper10: he wrote to me & I told him that we differed so widely, it was of no use our discussing any point.

As for Galton's paper11, I have never yet been able fully to digest it: as far as I have, it has not cleared my ideas, & has only aided in bringing more prominently forwards the large proportion of the latent characters.—

1
A pencil annotation in the upper right-hand corner of page adds 'Post mark | Sept[embe]r 2 1872'. The Darwin Correspondence Project have established 2 September 1872 as the correct date for this letter. See DCP-LETT-8504.
2
Huxley, Thomas Henry (1825-1895). British biologist known as "Darwin's Bulldog.
3
Bastian, Henry Charlton (1837-1915). English physiologist and neurologist.
4
Busk, George (1807-1886). British naval surgeon, zoologist and paleontologist
5
Sharpey, William (1802-1880). British anatomist and physiologist. Professor of anatomy and physiology at the University of London 1836-74 and secretary of the Royal Society 1853-71.
6
Cohn, Ferdinand Julius (1828-1898). German botanist.
7
Trécul, Auguste Adolphe Lucien (1818-1896). French botanist who conducted scientific research in North America on behalf of the Muséum national d'Histoire Naturelle 1848-50.
8
Carter, Henry John (1813-1895). British surgeon, geologist and zoologist.
9
Darwin refers to ARW's unsuccessful application for the position of director of the Bethnal Green Musuem. Henry Cole had informed Charles Lyell, who inquired on ARW's behalf, that the funds allowed by the Treasury for the Bethnal Green Musuem Managment were insufficient to pay for any director position. See Henry Cole to Charles Lyell, 3 July [18]72 (WCP2286.2176) and Raby, P. 2002. Alfred Russel Wallace: A Life. London: Chatto & Windus. pp.206-22.
10
Howorth, H. H. 1872. Strictures on Darwins. Part I. On Fertility and Sterility. Journal of the Anthropological Institute. 2. 21-40.
11
Galton. F. 1872. Blood-Relationship. Nature 6, (27 June 1872), 173-176.

Editorial information

Status: Edited (but not proofed) transcription [Letter (WCP1956.1846)]

For more information about the transcriptions and metadata, see https://wallaceletters.myspecies.info/content/epsilon

Revision history

Transcribed by Darwin Correspondence Project [2012-11-21] Transcription checked by Beros, Matt [2019-12-20]

Published letter (WCP1956.6054)

[1] [p. 278]

Down, Beckenham, Kent. September 2, 1872.

My dear Wallace, I write a line to say that I understood — but I may of course have been mistaken — from Huxley1 that Bastian2 distinctly stated that he had watched the development of the scale of Sphagnum: I was astonished, as I knew the appearance of Sphagnum under a high power, and asked a second time; but I repeat that I may have been mistaken. Busk3 told me that Sharpey4 had noticed the appearance of numerous Infusoria5 in one of the solutions not containing any nitrogen; and I do not suppose that any physiologist would admit the possibility of Infusoria absorbing nitrogen gas. Possibly I ought not to have mentioned statements made in private conversation, so please do not repeat them.

I quite agree about the extreme importance of such men as Cohn6 [illegible]7 and Carter8 having observed apparent cases of heterogenesis. At present I should prefer any mad hypothesis, such as that every disintegrated molecule of the lowest forms can reproduce the parent-form, and that the molecules are universally distributed, and that they do not lose their vital power until heated to such a temperature that they decompose like dead organic particles.

I am extremely grieved to hear about the Museum: it is a great misfortune.9 — Yours most sincerely, | C. DARWIN.

I have taken up old botanical work and have given up all theories.

I quite agree about Howorth's10 paper: he wrote to me and I told him that we differed so widely it was of no use our discussing any point.

As for Galton's11 paper,12 I have never yet been able to fully digest it: as far as I have, it has not cleared my [2] [p. 279] ideas, and has only aided in bringing more prominently forward the large proportion of the latent characters.

1
Huxley, Thomas Henry (1825-1895). British biologist known as "Darwin's Bulldog".
2
Bastian, Henry Charlton (1837-1915). English physiologist and neurologist.
3
Busk, George (1807-1886). British naval surgeon, zoologist and paleontologist.
4
Sharpey, William (1802-1880). British physiologist.
5
A collective term for minute aquatic creatures.
6
Cohn, Ferdinand Julius (1828-1898). German botanist.
7
The "illegible" word has been interpreted elsewhere as being "Trecul", a reference to the French botanist Auguste Adolphe Lucien Trécul (1818-1896).
8
Carter, Henry John (1813-1895). British surgeon, geologist and zoologist.
9
ARW had failed to be appointed Director of the Bethnal Green Museum.
10
Howorth, Henry Hoyle (1842-1923). Conservative politician, barrister, historian and geologist.
11
Galton, Francis (1822-1911). British polymath and founder of eugenics.
12
See WCP1955_P6053.

Editorial information

Status: Draft transcription [Published letter (WCP1956.6054)]

For more information about the transcriptions and metadata, see https://wallaceletters.myspecies.info/content/epsilon

Revision history

Transcribed by Paterson, Gavin [2019-12-17]

Please cite as “WCP1956,” in Beccaloni, G. W. (ed.), Ɛpsilon: The Alfred Russel Wallace Collection accessed on 11 October 2024, https://epsilon.ac.uk/view/wallace/letters/WCP1956