Summary

Describes Sedgwick’s attack on CD’s views [at Cambridge Philosophical Society] and his own defence, though he believes CD has pressed his hypothesis too far.

Summary

J. S. Henslow’s defence of CD;

[Thomas?] Thomson’s opposition to Origin.

Summary

Praise for JDH’s Flora Indica [J. D. Hooker and T. Thomson (1855)] from CD and C. J. F. Bunbury.

CD and J. S. Henslow dining in London. JDH invited.

Summary

Congratulations on JDH’s safe return.

Henslow has sent CD’s S. American plants to JDH for examination.

Summary

CD’s observations on curved styles read well. JDH seeks morphological rationale of curvature in the position of nectaries.

He has avoided lecturing to Royal Family’s children at Buckingham Palace.

Summary

Lyell, de facto, first to stress importance of geological changes for geographical distribution.

Asa Gray has given CD too much credit for theories of geographical distribution.

Reaction to hostile criticism

and debt to Lyell, Huxley, JDH, and W. B. Carpenter.

Summary

Mrs J. S. Henslow’s illness.

Summary

Embryology of plants of low systematic order. Comparative development begins only with first post-cotyledonary leaves.

Curt letter to JDH from George Henslow.

Summary

Glad to know about C.B.

Thinks better of Nature than JDH does.

Likes Academy.

Is reading Anton Kerner on Tubocytisus [in Die Abhängigkeit der Pflanzen von Klima und Boden (1869)].

The genealogical tree reveals the very steps of the formation of the species.

Mlle Royer has brought out a third edition of her translation of the Origin without informing CD, so corrections to fourth and fifth English editions are lost. Has arranged for a new translator of the fifth English edition.

Summary

Inquiries on effect of dry heat on temperate plants for glacial chapter.

Summary

Heartily glad about Willy.

Has never had Zizania.

Still has Leersia. He cannot make the beast produce.

What slow coaches the Ministers are about the Ayrton affair.

Summary

JDH half through Origin. High praise for facts and reasoning.

Lyell told JDH his criticisms: small matters JDH did not appreciate.

Reactions of G. Bentham, J. S. Henslow, and C. C. Babington.

Summary

Honoured by Abutilon name; describes observations on its fertilisation.

Henrietta’s marriage a great loss to him.

Latest Quarterly Review has article, "evidently by Mivart", that cuts CD into mincemeat.

Asks for name of species of mouse J. S. Henslow used to keep [see 598].

Summary

Bad month of sickness. John Chapman’s ice bag on spine.

Does not quite agree with JDH about Lubbock’s plagiarism charges. Lyell’s memory must have failed him.

Summary

Masdevallia turns out to be nothing wonderful, "I was merely stupid about it."

Asks for plants for experiments.

Hedysarum and Oxalis sensitiva seeds.

Asks whether Oliver knows of experiments on absorption of poisons by roots.

CD finds he cannot publish this year on Lythrum salicaria; he must make 126 additional crosses!

Asks for odd variations of common potato; he wants to grow a few plants of every variety.

Variation is crawling.

Has had some bad attacks lately.

Summary

Comments on JDH’s Flora Antarctica. CD is delighted with it.

"I can never cease marvelling at the similarity of the Antarctic floras: it is wonderful."

Questions JDH on points raised by the work: absence of alpine flora on southern islands; comparison of climate and floras of Tasmania and New Zealand.

Summary

Sends CD West Ireland soundings.

More detail on his review "a la Lindley" [see 3797].

Bates’s paper ["Contributions to an insect fauna of the Amazon valley", Trans. Linn. Soc. Lond. 23 (1862): 495–566] is capital.

Andrew Murray’s article plays into CD’s hands through sheer ignorance.

JDH is on Royal Society Council.

Has no recollection of applying natural selection to Polynesians. None but a German would dig out such a passage if it exists [see 3812].

Has caused Tyndall to modify his pseudo-geology.

Has not seen Duke of Argyll’s review [Edinburgh Rev. 116 (1862): 378–97]. [The Duke] did not understand Orchids the least little bit, nor the Origin, when JDH saw him.

Summary

Tendril plants received.

Has just completed large crossing experiment with Lythrum.

Summary

Faraday memorial is an exception.

George [Darwin] has convinced CD that North British Review article is by P. G. Tait [see 6841].

Surprised that leaves of Drosophyllum are always rolled backwards at their tips, but did not know it was unique character.

Summary

News of Mrs Henslow’s death.

Studying Impatiens, which bears on CD’s problems. Though genus is endemic to India, with over 100 species, CD will be glad to know they do not run into one another.