From H. C. Watson to George Gordon 27 June 1861
Thames Ditton | London— S.W.
27 June 1861.
Dear Dr. Gordon
I have not a botanical correspondent in Edinburgh now. Doubtless Prof. Balfour could readily get roots of Corallorhiza, through some student of his class, or by sending a gardener from the Botc. Garden.—1 I will suggest this course to Mr. Darwin.2
I fear that Mr. D. gives much valuable time to minor matters. Instead of resting his theory on the broad general facts that tend to support it, & admitting much of difficulty & uncertainty in detail,—he seems to delight in singling out the difficulties, & trying to solve or explain them away. This adds weakness, rather than strength, to a theory that I think will turn out true in the main;—although the more I cogitate on it, the less do I see the necessity of tracing back all existent species to one or to one dozen originals.—3
My dear Sir | Yours Very truly | Hewett C. Watson
The revd. George Gordon D. D.
Footnotes
Bibliography
Watson, Hewett Cottrell. 1845. On the theory of "progressive development," applied in explanation of the origin and transmutation of species. Phytologist 2: 108–13, 140–7, 161–8, 225–8.
Summary
Regrets he cannot assist the fulfilment of CD’s request for a specimen of the orchid Corallorhiza.
Letter details
- Letter no.
- DCP-LETT-3197F
- From
- Hewett Cottrell Watson
- To
- George Gordon
- Sent from
- Thames Ditton, Surrey
- Source of text
- Elgin Museum (Gordon Archive 61.9)
- Physical description
- ALS 2pp
Please cite as
Darwin Correspondence Project, “Letter no. 3197F,” accessed on 6 October 2024, https://www.darwinproject.ac.uk/letter/?docId=letters/DCP-LETT-3197F.xml
Also published in The Correspondence of Charles Darwin, vol. 13 (Supplement)