Summary

Sends his 6th volume.

Summary

Sends to Pantlludw [North Wales] bottle of formic acid. FD and Amy [Darwin] can search for spawn. If found, keep in two basins and add 6 drops of acid to one and look for differences.

Summary

William Spottiswoode was not at home, but JT sought out Herbert Spencer. Spencer will come with JT to see CD [about the Huxley fund].

Summary

CD will write to William Spottiswoode about the fund for Huxley. CD is raising his subscription to £300. "We have done a good day’s work … [it] gives me a higher opinion of human nature than I had before, though I am not one of those who think lowly of mankind."

Summary

Discusses the arrangements being made to present a gift to Huxley [see 8872].

Summary

Is convinced that the "brotherly spirit of the transaction" will cause Huxley not to raise objections.

Summary

"The following fact with respect to the habits of ants, which I believe to be quite new, has been sent to me by a distinguished geologist, Mr J. D. Hague [see 8788]; and it appears well worth publishing."

Summary

W. G. Armstrong and T. H. Farrer have both contributed [to the Huxley fund].

Summary

Sends JT the list and amounts subscribed for Huxley. It will probably amount to £1800. He will write to Huxley and use every argument he can to make him accept.

Summary

George Henslow is worse. All plans to go abroad have been given up. James Paget’s diagnoses enclosed.

Summary

CD did not bring any tortoises back from the Galapagos. There may be specimens at the Military Institution in Whitehall.

Sorry AG was unable to lunch with the Darwins during their stay in London.

Summary

Thanks AWM for "Comus" and an abusive New Orleans Mardi Gras newspaper editorial; he cannot tell from the "wonderful mistakes" whether the writer is "witty, ignorant, or blunders for the sake of fun".

Summary

Thanks CD for his kind letter about The fair haven [1873]. Encouraged by its reception. All he wants is to compel "an attitude of fixed attention in the place of cowardly shrinking from examination". Says he will try "a novel pure and simple with little ""purpose"" next".

Summary

It is Huxley’s "duty to do what we wish him to do – his duty to his wife and children, his duty to us and to the world". Shares CD’s wish that Mrs [Henry] L[yell?] had not subscribed – it suggests the idea of an effort.

Summary

Sends 15 studies in expression, acted by his wife.

Describes David Ferrier’s experiments on electrical brain stimulation of animals; these show direct relation between convolutions of the brain and groups of muscles [West Riding Asylum Med. Rep. (July 1873)].

Summary

"Try only 1 or 2 drops of Formic A[cid]."

Summary

Thanks LB for his essay on local biology.

CD with much care and discomfort is now able to work a few hours almost every day.

Summary

Thanks for letter and curious photographs. Urges AR not to send anything valuable unless he publishes it elsewhere because CD is growing old and may not have strength and time to continue his former researches.

Summary

Photographs sent by JC-B show great power of acting.

David Ferrier’s researches sound wonderful. Does he believe that he excites an idea and this leads to the movement, or that he acts directly on the motor nerves?

Summary

Fears all the seeds are dead. Will try with less vapour of formic acid.