To G. J. Romanes 29 May [1876]1
H. Wedgwoods E | Hopedene | Dorking
May 29th.
Dear Romanes
As you are interested in Pangenesis & will some day, I hope, convert an “airy nothing” into a substantial theory, therefore I send by this post an essay by Häckel, attacking Pan: & substituting a molecular hypothesis.2 If I understand his views rightly, he wd. say that with a bird which strengthened its wings by use, the formative protoplasm of the strengthened parts becomes changed, & its molecular vibrations consequently changed, & that these vibrations are transmitted throughout the whole frame of the bird & affect the sexual elements in such a manner that the wings of the offspring are developed in a like strengthened manner.— I imagine he wd say in cases like those of Ld. Moreton’s mare that the vibrations from the protoplasm or “plasson” of the seminal fluid of the Zebra set plasson vibrating in the mare & that these vibrations continued until the hair of her second colt was formed, & which consequently became barred like that of a Zebra.3 How he explains reversion to a remote ancestor I know not.— Perhaps I have misunderstood him, though I have skimmed the whole with some care. He lays much stress on inheritance being a form of unconscious Memory, but how far this is part of his molecular vibration I do not understand.
His views make nothing clear to me, but this may be my fault. No one I presume wd. doubt about molecular movements of some kind. His essay is clever & striking. If you read it (but you must not on my account) I shd. much like to hear your judgment. & you can return it at any time.— The blue lines are Häckel’s, to call my attention.—4
We have come here for rest for me, which I much needed, & shall remain here for about 10 days more, & then home to work which is my sole pleasure in life.5 I hope your splendid Medusa-work & yr experiments on Pang: are going on well.—6 I heard from my son Frank yesterday that he was feverish with a cold & could not dine with the Physiologists, which I am very sorry for as I shd. have heard what they think about the new bill.—7 I see that you are one of the Secs. to this young Socy. I was very much gratified by the wholly unexpected honour of being elected one of the Hony: Members.8 This mark of sympathy has pleased me to a very high degree.
Believe me | Yours very sincerely | Ch. Darwin
Häckel gives reference to a paper on Pang: of which I have never heard.9
I fear that you will have difficulty in reading my scrawl.—
Do you know who are the other Hon. members of your Socy.?
Footnotes
Bibliography
Elsberg, Louis. 1874. Regeneration, or the preservation of organic molecules: a contribution to the doctrine of evolution. Proceedings of the American Association for the Advancement of Science 23: 87–103.
Romanes, George John. 1876–7. An account of some new species, varieties, and monstrous forms of medusæ. [Read 6 April 1876 and 18 January 1877.] Journal of the Linnean Society (Zoology) 12 (1876): 524–31; 13 (1878): 190–4.
Sharpey-Schafer, Edward Albert. 1927. History of the Physiological Society during its first fifty years, 1876–1926. London: Cambridge University Press.
Variation 2d ed.: The variation of animals and plants under domestication. By Charles Darwin. 2d edition. 2 vols. London: John Murray. 1875.
Variation: The variation of animals and plants under domestication. By Charles Darwin. 2 vols. London: John Murray. 1868.
Summary
Encloses essay by Haeckel criticising Pangenesis [Die Perigenesis der Plastidule (1876)]. Discusses Haeckel’s theory of inheritance.
Asks about the Physiological Society.
Letter details
- Letter no.
- DCP-LETT-10516
- From
- Charles Robert Darwin
- To
- George John Romanes
- Sent from
- Hopedene
- Source of text
- American Philosophical Society (Mss.B.D25.493)
- Physical description
- ALS 6pp
Please cite as
Darwin Correspondence Project, “Letter no. 10516,” accessed on 6 October 2024, https://www.darwinproject.ac.uk/letter/?docId=letters/DCP-LETT-10516.xml
Also published in The Correspondence of Charles Darwin, vol. 24