Summary

Discusses problems of obtaining money for the alteration of Down church.

Summary

Encloses a memorial concerning the Botanical Gardens at Kew signed by ‘some of our most eminent scientific men’ (including CD).

Summary

Writes on behalf of British authors requesting improved copyright rights with respect to United States.

Summary

Arranges to bring F. C. Donders to visit Down.

Summary

Sends synopsis of his paper "On diversity of evolution" [J. Linn. Soc. Lond. (Zool.) 11 (1873): 496–505] in which he attempts to show some of the means, other than natural selection, of modification of species.

Summary

Has received Expression and will forward it to his brother [Jean-Charles Houzeau de Lehaie].

Summary

Compares Origin to Newton’s Principia and Adam Smith’s Wealth of nations.

His view of CD’s response to Mivart.

On mammae;

gradualism of evolution;

suicide among savages.

Summary

Further details and measurements of the stones in the courtyard pavement for CD’s investigation of earthworm action.

Summary

Asks WED to direct bearer of letter to CD, as he has an address [memorial from men of science to W. E. Gladstone] for him to sign.

Summary

Has sent CD’s letter to Nature [see 8448].

Expresses admiration for H. C. Bastian’s The beginnings of life [1872] and comments on its bearing upon Origin.

Summary

Sends CD a copy of the memorial supporting Hooker’s case against A. S. Ayrton’s interference in the administration of Kew Gardens.

Summary

Sends £35 as his subscription towards the building of a vicarage.

Summary

Writes, as a P.S. to his previous letter, stating his friends have advised him not to answer Owen’s attack.

Summary

Thanks CD for Expression.

Describes work on Die Kalkschwämme and its principal conclusions.

The application of biogenetic law.

Notes variability among calcareous sponges.

Gastrula-like "Gastraea" as ancestor of multicellular animals.

Posits homology between Hydra, Olynthus of calcareous sponges, and initial germ layers of higher animals.

Comments on Lubbock’s Prehistoric times [1865]

and on David Strauss’s Der alte und der neue Glaube [1872].

Summary

Overjoyed at the way the newspapers have taken up JDH’s case. The memorial has done great good this way, whatever the wretched Government does. It is enough to make one a Tory. JDH has done a service to all men of science by showing governments that they cannot be trampled on.

Summary

Has signed the memorial by men of science with real pleasure. Fears it may be too severe. He told Lady Derby about JDH’s troubles. She said she would tell Lord Derby what he had said.

Summary

The die is cast on Ayrton affair. Lord Derby has called for all of the correspondence, as a result of pressure by men of science on JDH’s behalf.

Has just had a Greenland collection, which supports his views altogether; "I am ready to do fight for these with you."

Summary

Thanks CD for his offer to communicate the results of his experiments with Pelargonium to the Linnean Society. Prefers to continue experimenting for at least another season before doing so.

Summary

Expects the memorial to make Gladstone frantic. Government regrets granting Lord Derby the correspondence and Lubbock has been advised to postpone calling for it in Lower House. This looks fishy. Is exhausted by the affair.

Summary

Comments on EH’s forthcoming [Die Kalkschwämme (1872)].

Thinks EH is working much too hard.