Summary

Replies to a reviewer’s statement, that any theory of descent will connect large classes of facts, by pointing out that no other explanation has been as satisfactory as natural selection. But whatever view is adopted "signifies extremely little in comparison with the admission that species have descended from other species and have not been created immutable".

Summary

Thanks correspondent, "Ponderer", for pointing out his erroneous calculation of the rate of increase of elephants in Origin [p. 64]. [!?or p. 74!? (see 6775f), or 75, (see 6790)]

Summary

Because readers have arrived at different answers to the problem of the rate of increase of elephants, CD offers a rule, used by his son George, for calculating the product for any number of generations.

[Letter erroneously dated June.]

Summary

Seeks correspondent’s support for his nephew, Henry Parker, for membership in the Athenaeum.

Summary

[Draft letter that was never sent, headed "First letter disapproved by everybody" in CD’s hand.] Explains that he had, in fact, mentioned in the MS of his part of Erasmus Darwin that Krause had added to his essay as it appeared in Kosmos. During subsequent revision, this mention was accidentally omitted. [Apropos of S. Butler’s charges against CD.]

Summary

Expresses his support for new books being sold with the pages cut.

Summary

Attacks the doctrine of "heterogeny" (spontaneous generation during each geological period) as completely lacking in evidence.

Defends natural selection as connecting large classes of facts in natural history. That certain forms have not changed since remote epochs is not an objection of any force.

Summary

[A revised version (but also not sent) of the draft letter 12439.]

Summary

Reports the balloting [for Henry Parker at the Athenaeum?] went off just right.

Summary

Thinks CD’s letter ["The doctrine of heterogeny", Collected papers 2: 78–80] will appear "with a clearer field and to better effect" if delayed a week, since next issue [of Athenæum] has Lyell’s reply to Hugh Falconer, and W. B. Carpenter’s report on the Abbéville jaw.

Summary

"My Dear Sir, I have called on you, to solicit your vote & interest at the Athenaeum Club […] in favour of my brother, Erasmus Darwin".

Summary

Likes JDH’s review of Alphonse de Candolle [Mémoires et souvenirs de A. P. de Candolle (1862)].

Falconer’s article on Lyell ["Primitive man. What led to the question?", Athenæum 4 Apr 1863, pp. 459–60] too severe.

CD has written a letter to the Athenæum "to say, under the cloak of attacking Heterogeny, a word in my own defence" [Collected papers 2: 78–80].

Bates’s Travels [Naturalist on the river Amazons (1863)] are excellent.

Summary

Asks GB to support the election of CD’s nephew, Henry Parker, to the Athenaeum Club.

Summary

Has seen the Athenæum and admires his article on beauty ["Feeling of beauty among animals", Athenæum (24 Nov. 1866): 681].

Summary

Will write to Strickland. Asks whether name has already been put down for Athenaeum.

Summary

Asks JT to support his nephew, Henry Parker, for election to the Athenaeum.

Summary

Describes a letter he has written to the Athenæum in which he mentions CL’s views on species modification ["Doctrine of heterogeny", Collected papers 2: 78–80].

Comments on criticism of Lyell’s book [Antiquity] by Falconer and others.

Mentions his eczema.

Invites the Lyells to visit.

Summary

Falconer’s letter [attacking CL, Athenæum 4 Apr 1863, pp. 459–60] is most unjust.

Regrets his letter [to Athenæum, on heterogeny] now criticised by Owen.

Comments on article by Samuel Haughton [On the form of cells made by wasps – with an appendix on the origin of species (1863)].

Mentions forthcoming reviews by Asa Gray [in Am. J. Sci.].

Summary

B. J. Sulivan offers fossil leaves from Eocene beds at Bournemouth to CD or JDH. Does JDH want them, or should they go to Oswald Heer?

Has written to Athenæum [see 5308] about publishers cutting pages of their books.

Summary

SB has decided to lay the matter [the subject of 12393 and 12396] before the public and has written to the Athenæum stating the facts. [Athenæum 31 Jan 1880.]