Summary

Agrees with JDH about Anderson-Henry. He has however described in detail a curious case of the ovaria of Rhododendron directly affected by foreign pollen, like the Chamaerops and date-palm case.

Summary

Replies to CD’s questions. Advice on use of term "morphology". Is much struck by CD’s idea that uniformity of an organ throughout a group implies functional inutility; the paradox of this position for classification.

Summary

Personal regards.

William Darwin will make a botanist.

Summary

Queries on ratios of species to genera on southern islands. CD’s observations on distribution of Galapagos organisms, and on S. American fossils, and facts he has gathered since, lead him to conclusion that species are not immutable; "it is like confessing a murder".

Summary

CD continues very ill.

His only work is a little on tendrils and climbers. Asks whether all tendrils are modified leaves or whether some are modified stems.

Last number [Jan 1864?] of Natural History Review is best that has appeared.

Summary

John Scott’s career.

Huxley’s vicious attack on anthropologists.

Critique of Joseph Prestwich’s theory of rivers.

Bitter feelings between the Hookers and the Veitch family of nurserymen.

Summary

Evidence of tropical floras continuous since Tertiary cannot fit CD’s position on intermittent cold periods.

Agrees with CD on reversion and latency.

Summary

Sends "tendrilliferous" plants.

Plans visit to Down.

Naudin’s paper on tendrils [Ann. Sci. Nat. (Bot.) 4th ser. 9 (1863): 180–203].

T. V. Wollaston snubs Bates’s work.

Summary

Praises JDH’s Australian introduction.

Disputes JDH’s emphasis on SE. and SW. Australian flora.

Summary

Memorial concerning British Museum collection.

Relation of Cape of Good Hope and Australian flora a great trouble. CD’s high estimation of importance of glacial period for distribution.

Summary

CD’s doubts on biography of Henslow. Writing recollections of Cambridge days at JDH’s request.

Summary

Athenæum [Owen’s?] attack on JDH [BAAS address] and CD. False statement that CD’s sole groundwork is from pigeons.

Agrees with JDH on foolishness of Red Lion Club.

Huxley’s want of judgment.

JDH’s argument about astronomy and astronomers.

Pall Mall Gazette [8 (1868): 593, 595–6] and Morning Advertiser on JDH’s address.

Summary

Delighted JDH coming to Down. They will discuss Origin. JDH’s remarks that theory explains too much are excellent, yet CD cannot see his error.

Summary

Has worked out homologies of orchids’ pollinia and rostellum.

On W. H. Harvey’s review ["The natural evolution of organic species considered", Dublin Hosp. Gaz. 8 (1861): 146–52].

Summary

Lists the 14 men elected to be F.R.S. Garrod defeated McLachlan.

Summary

CD welcomes the prospect of the Philosophical Club of the Royal Society as means for seeing old acquaintances and making new ones. Will try to go up to London regularly.

Admits that the warning from JDH and Asa Gray (that more harm than good will come from combat over the species issue) makes him feel "deuced uncomfortable".

Reflects upon the complexity of Agassiz; how singular that a man of his eminence and immense knowledge "should write such wonderful stuff & bosh".

Summary

CD thought Watson’s article beastly in its criticisms of JDH. Watson’s criticism of CD was not new or important, but fair, so CD could honestly thank him, adding his regret at what was said about JDH.

Is sitting for Woolner bust.

Has read James Croll on alternation of glacial and warmer periods in north and south, which would remove JDH’s objections to cool period extending to equator.

Summary

On Asa Gray’s letter; has written why he avoids alluding to the war.

Has read Max Müller [see 3752] – last part unphilosophical.

On CD’s pigeon example, long-beaked and short-beaked pigeons must be either sterile or not inter se. There is "no such thing as Equality – hence no such thing as chance and Nat. Sel. is the sword of Damocles hanging over your head if you make a slip in your premisses."

Has read note on Lythrum sent several weeks ago. Its consequences are of most prolific order to CD’s doctrine.

Kew has no wild gooseberries.

JDH praises the Saturday Review reply [14 (1862): 589] to the Duke of Argyll’s bitter review of Orchids ["The supernatural", Edinburgh Rev. 116 (1862): 378–97].

Summary

Did not intend to imply that Hallett said variation stopped, but that it arrives at a point where further accumulation in direction sought is so slow as to result practically in fixity of type – but not absolute fixity.

Duke of Argyll has requested JDH to superintend publication of a flora of India. JDH thinks he [Argyll] is paying him off for his kick at natural theology.

Willy [Hooker] returning from New Zealand.

A unique character in Drosophyllum.

Sees no reason for CD to contribute to Ross and Faraday memorials.

Summary

George Henslow is worse. All plans to go abroad have been given up. James Paget’s diagnoses enclosed.