Summary

Announces his engagement to Emma Wedgwood.

Summary

Would like to talk over Salisbury Craigs with CD.

CL’s father enthusiastic over Journal of researches.

Comments on Élie de Beaumont’s theory of mountain elevation.

Asks about parallel lines of upheaval and depression in the Pacific.

Glad CD likes Athenaeum Club.

Comments on methods of work.

Invites CD to visit Kinnordy.

Defends BAAS: "in this country no importance is attached to any body of men who do not make occasional demonstrations of their strength in public meetings".

With respect to Glen Roy, notes existence of deposits destitute of shells.

Summary

Impressed by CD’s theory [of earthworm action].

Summary

Comments on an article in Edinburgh Review [by David Brewster, 67 (1838): 271–308] on Comte’s Philosophie positive.

Discusses falsity of Élie de Beaumont’s views of contemporaneous parallel lines of elevation and subsidence.

Owen’s views of relationship of reptiles to birds.

On "question of species" CD has filled notebook after notebook with facts, "which begin to group themselves clearly under sub-laws".

Summary

Comments on receiving copy of Lyell’s Elements [of geology]. Much is new to CD, and he is copying out notes and references.

Criticises geological work of John Phillips.

Describes expedition to Glen Roy, about which he is writing a paper ["Parallel roads of Glen Roy" (1839), Collected papers 1: 87–137].

Enjoys the Athenaeum Club.

Criticises entomological work of F. W. Hope.

Asks Lyell to obtain for him a copy of barometric readings made at Leith.

Asks him to ascertain altitude of several Scottish lochs.

Comments on FitzRoy’s character.

Summary

Sends four samples of dust blown on board his ship from the coast of Africa, nearly 400 miles away, during four days in March 1838. Gives careful descriptions and relates the tests he made of it [see Collected papers 1: 200].

Summary

Determined to make GRW a geologist. Sends copy of C. Lyell [?Elements of geology (1838)].

Summary

Will send first six chapters [of Origin] for the press. Sends data on size of MS and book. His "beau ideal" for type and size is Lyell’s Manual [of geology] 1st ed.

Important to his health to get the work printed quickly. Must leave home soon to stay for months at a water-cure establishment.

Asks printer to send a proof-sheet a day until he gets well ahead.

Summary

Comments on investigation of coral reefs by A. A. Gould, particularly the reefs around Tahiti. Mentions description of reefs of Tahiti by W. Forbes.

Hooker’s view of work by C. J. F. Bunbury.

Summary

Slab with fossil annelid tracks safely arrived.

Summary

Sends the first part of Journal of researches [2d ed.]. Explains his dedication of book to CL. Describes revisions.

Has received CL’s book [Travels in North America, 2 vols. (1845)].

Summary

Responds to Lyell’s query [missing] about northern and southern limits of coral islands of the Pacific. Warns that coral islands are much more thinly distributed than people realise and cites examples. Comments on views of Matthew Flinders. Reading work of É[lie] de B[eaumont]. Notes difficulty of setting an east-west boundary to coral islands.

Summary

Seeks permission to make another visit to Addiscombe [Military College] to see again the model of St Helena. He needs to correct proportion of some geological sections in his Geology [see Volcanic islands, ch. 4].

Summary

Would like to arrange a meeting about CD’s collection of shells [from the Beagle voyage].

Summary

Responds to report of the referee [on his paper "The formation of mould"]. Strikes out a paragraph and wants to add a note. Asks WL’s advice about a sentence.

Summary

Has heard that CL has spoken to John Murray about publication [of Origin]. Encloses prospective title-page. Asks whether he ought to tell John Murray about unorthodoxy of the book.

Summary

Thanks ACR for paper and comments on it ["On the denudation of South Wales", Mem. Geol. Surv. G. B. 1 (1846): 297–335].

Sends copy of South America.

Discusses action of the sea.

Criticises ACR’s views on sudden elevation of mountain chains.

Summary

“The Botanists” and “The learned Linguists” give thanks for book and assistance.

Summary

CD has heard from Lyell that JM is inclined to publish his work on the origin of species. Will send some chapters as soon as copyist has finished. Sends list of 12 chapters. It will be a popular abstract of more than 20 years’ work. It ought to be popular with scientific and semi-scientific readers.