Summary

Charlotte [Wedgwood Langton?] reports from Mr Wallis on time of day that sundew opens.

Summary

Expresses his grief upon hearing of the death of THH’s young son. Recalls his own bitter loss of a child.

Summary

CD has learned from Lyell that JDH reviewed Origin in Gardeners’ Chronicle writing in Lindley’s style.

Lyell is working on man.

Summary

Has not received any replies from the parties.

Either he or his son will value the property after JH’s return to Alford.

Summary

Tells of Etty’s [Henrietta]’s illness and progress; their future plans.

Mentions some responses to the Origin; the naturalists are fighting over it in North America.

Summary

Discusses possible purchase of land.

Summary

Sends a plan of the Anwick Estate: will value it on Saturday next (23 June 1860).

Will purchase it for CD at the auction on 25 June if he can secure favourable terms.

Summary

Hears Origin [2d ed.] was sold out. Next edition will need a good many alterations. Asks JM to provide him with a copy of the second revised U. S. edition. He wants to see how his long corrections look in type.

Summary

Blyth’s effort to raise money for a Chinese expedition.

Comments on free-will in animals.

Says natural selection is not in the same category with Huxley’s "force" and "matter".

Discusses remarkable variation in period of gestation in dogs and ducks.

Discusses Arctic flora.

Has been working on orchids; they beat woodpeckers in adaptation.

Summary

Eldest daughter [Henrietta] very ill.

CD enjoys Owen’s having had "a good setting down".

Summary

Measles has ben running through the house, but they are now quit of it.

Discusses plans for JSH to visit; eager to discuss Origin.

Summary

The adultery of Lady [Harriet Spencer] Grey and Captain Keppell.

A new species of elephant discovered by Hugh Falconer.

Comments on excellent review by Asa Gray [Atlantic Monthly 6 (1860): 229–39].

Still believes dogs descended from several wild stocks.

Summary

Additional response, at length, to CL’s criticisms of natural selection. Comments on failure of rodents to develop in Australia. Argues that most species become extinct and do not develop. Discusses variability, especially variability of rudimentary organs. Extinction among ammonites. Survival of Ornithorhynchus. Descent of marsupials and placentals. Emphasises embryological argument for descent of species.

Summary

Casual observations on Drosera.

Wants to know author of good review of Origin in London Review [& Wkly J. Polit. 1 (1860): 11–12, 32–3, 58–9].

Athenæum will reprint Gray’s discussion.

Summary

Discusses the direction of WED’s studies.

Tells of the response to the Origin and the impact that it has made in England and abroad.

Summary

Lyell and CD would urge JDH to make his essays into a book, but see he has embarked on a huge project with G. Bentham [Genera plantarum, 3 vols. (1862–83)].

Summary

Reread JDH’s letter "with infinite pleasure".

Plans to visit Kew.

Summary

Discusses the intellectual development of the ancient Greeks as an objection to evolution and gives his reply.

Summary

Confirms CGBD’s impression given in a letter to J. S. Henslow that CD in the Origin did not touch directly upon the final causes of sexuality, which CD considers one of the "profoundest mysteries in nature". CD is inclined to stress sexuality as the means of keeping forms constant and checking variation although he grants its role in the origination of varieties. [See 2869.]

Summary

Thanks for orchid specimens.

On 10th and 11th will be at Tunbridge Wells.