Summary

On H. C. Watson’s false and contemptuous criticism of [J. D. Hooker and T. Thomson] Flora Indica [1855].

W. B. Carpenter’s deep-sea dredgings.

James Croll’s last paper ["On geological time", Philos. Mag. 35 (1868): 363; 36 (1868): 141, 362].

Summary

Has met A. J. Gower, Consul at Nagasaki, Japan, who knows all about the Ainus. JDH has given away all the copies of CD’s Queries about expression.

Nettled by Pall Mall Gazette review of BAAS address [see 6342].

Owen is indeed an ass. Carlyle’s comment on Owen’s smile.

The Asa Grays at Kew.

Summary

Reports on Norwich address [Rep. BAAS 38 (1868): lviii–lxxv]. Left out some things, i.e., Asa Gray’s being superseded.

Tyndall says CD and JDH are types of "unconscious merit".

Summary

The newspapers’ pother about his mild theology.

Tyndall’s reference to JDH and CD as the two "modestest" men in science.

Huxley offended the clergy twice without cause or warrant.

William Hooker ill.

Astronomers do not like JDH’s reference to them.

Summary

Sketches out subjects he intends to speak on at Norwich [BAAS meeting]: museums, CD’s work in botany, Pangenesis, early history of mankind.

Asks about CD’s "book on man" [Descent].

Summary

Trip with Huxley was perfect.

At Torquay later he had a lecture on "Kent’s hole" from Joseph Pengelly.

George Bentham acknowledges himself unreservedly a convert to Darwinism. Many will still cling to a "rag of protection, but will eventually haul it down".

A. Murray’s later parts better than first [? Geographical distribution of mammals (1866)].

Wallace’s paper shows great ability.

Disgusted with [Duke of Argyll’s] Reign of law.

His depression and exhaustion.

Summary

Asks for information on how many languages Origin has appeared in, how many English and American editions it has gone through, and its reception abroad. Wants to disprove statement that the theory is "fast passing away".

Baby ill, scarcely any hope of recovery.

Some botanical books have come for CD.

Summary

Amazed that Hugo von Mohl and E. M. Fries are not foreign members of Royal Society; Thomson going over the whole matter.

Candolle’s contribution to botany.

Lubbock shocked about Wollaston.

CD’s answer to Greg was capital.

Comments on Variation.

Charles Murchison’s work on Falconer’s Memoirs [Palaeontological memoirs and notes of the late Hugh Falconer (1868)] and JDH on Falconer.

Summary

The wheat and oat specimen has been examined "in congress" by Oliver, Bentham, Asa Gray, and JDH. No organic connection of any kind.

Summary

Goes to N. Wales with Huxley.

Wishes to borrow Duke of Argyll’s Reign of law.

The BAAS Presidential Address [Rep. BAAS 38 (1868): lviii–lxxv] – his unhappiness about it; history of botany requires too much reading.

Smith will supply notes on Euryale.

Summary

Now quite understands Pangenesis. Satisfaction given by it, as CD says, may depend on one’s mental constitution. In all cases of descent JDH has always thought "all the properties of the parents are transmitted in the one cell and were diffused to every part of the future offspring".

Tyndall believes he feels atoms as firmly as St Paul believed he saw Christ.

Summary

Rejoices over news of Variation sales.

Pall Mall Gazette review [7 (1868): 555, 636, 652] is undoubtedly by G. H. Lewes [see 5951].

Dinner at Lyells’.

Dean Stanley favours a monument to Faraday in Westminster Abbey.

Perceval Wright is back from Seychelles and reports on plants he collected.

Summary

Will get name of grass [see 6243] from Gen. William Munro.

Has heard from Charles Wheatstone that CD has Prussian Order of Merit. Rejoices because it is the only distinction worth a fig.

Went to Handel festival; heard Messiah.

Went to poor old N. B. Ward’s funeral.

Summary

Sends a pamphlet by W. R. Greg [Malthus: re-examined by the light of physiology (1868)].

Many Cucurbitaceae have smaller male than female flowers.

Has written to H. C. Watson on the counterbalance [to variation] of crossing and uniform conditions. Watson has forgotten the argument.

Has written to F. Müller on abnormal Solanum.

Does not understand Hildebrand on potatoes.

Summary

Is doing a British Flora [The student’s flora of the British Islands (1870)], for students, more scientific and more complete than former editions.

His opinion of Bentham’s [British] Flora [1858].

On Croll’s extension of glaciers – a huge relief to get rid of simultaneous cooling of the whole globe.

Watson’s garbling of passage in JDH’s Flora Indica is unprincipled.

Summary

Anxious to hear how the Lubbocks take the disastrous termination to their hopes. [Sir John Lubbock was defeated in the Parliamentary election on 25 Nov 1868.]

Summary

The grass [see 6243] is Sporobolus elongatus, common in the tropics.

Visit to Oxford with X Club.

On his forthcoming address.

Summary

T. V. Wollaston’s financial misfortunes.

CD’s son George’s success [at Cambridge].

Summary

Horrified to find he has forgotten to announce birth of daughter.

Summary

Coming on Saturday.

Baby and wife pretty well.