Summary

He and another Bencher of Lincoln’s Inn have signed the necessary certificates for admission of CD’s son [George].

Summary

Discusses how they might enquire about any provisions in the laws of partnership concerning lunacy.

Summary

Sends news of his and Frank’s doings at Cambridge.

Summary

Wants to know why Horace has been removed from school without any notification.

Summary

Discusses law versus engineering and business as a career.

Supposes ARW will have "squashed" GHD’s criticisms of his notes on sterility.

Summary

On sterility of natural species and natural selection. Closely allied forms from adjacent islands offer best chance of finding good species fertile inter se.

Problem of minute variations and sexual selection.

Summary

Visiting W. D. Fox.

Sends specimen of Cardamine pratensis,

and an account of a striped horse.

Discusses Pangenesis.

Has returned to religion and has been reflecting on God’s mercies, one of which CD should remember from about 1828 at Bodnant.

Summary

Sends abstract of his views on change of climate and a copy of a paper.

Summary

Congratulations on success of CD’s son [George].

Summary

Gratified by CD’s approval of his articles, which the public has not much liked.

Clarifies the obscure sentence CD criticised – forms having a different genesis can be similar.

Calls CD’s attention to Kovalevsky’s memoir on Amphioxus [Mem. Acad. Imp. Sci. St.-Pétersbourg 7th ser. 11 (1868) no.4]. K’s views are all in favour of CD’s and against GHL’s.

Summary

Bishop J. W. Colenso supports his old contention that the Kaffirs (including Zulus of South Africa) are Negroes.

[Horace Waller’s] The last journals of David Livingstone [in central Africa (1874)] cites CD’s plant research and has many facts "for Darwin".

Summary

Asks CD to propose him for Linnean Society.

Would like to have Lyell put his objections to GHL’s papers [Fortn. Rev. 9 (1868): 353–73, 611–28; 10 (1868): 61–80, 492–509] in the form of notes, so he can have them before him when he recasts his papers into a book.

Summary

Thanks CD for article by G. H. Lewes ["Mr Darwin’s hypotheses, pt 1", Fortn. Rev. n.s. 3 (1868): 353–73]. Comments on article.

Describes hybridisation experiment carried out on rabbits and hares by Dr Conrad.

Encloses description of Monera

and a phylogenetic table of vertebrates.

Mentions work on Medusae.

The controversy over CD in Germany.

Summary

Thanks CD [for his increased allowance?].

Writes of his tour [in Algeria].

Summary

Relates death of H. G. Bronn.

Discusses publication of German edition of Orchids [1862].

Summary

Comments on their differences regarding evolution. Acknowledges that CD alone has produced an evolutionary theory that is scientific and all-embracing. Appreciates grandeur of CD’s work.

Summary

Did not intend to persuade CD against publishing Pangenesis. Will not take the responsibility, nor risk being made a horrible example 50 years hence.

Summary

Writes in detail about Cambridge offer of the honorary LL.D.

Summary

Returns Geikie’s letter; is glad he has accepted settlement of gravel through melting of snow. Is trudging around with hammer and bag with help of Ramsay’s book. Describes visits to Kenilworth and Stratford. Sara consulted a physician. Called on Reginald D. and enjoyed meeting relations and seeing picture of Erasmus. Reginald very taken with George.