Summary

Has no drone cells in collection of honeycombs. Discusses construction of cells by bees and ability of bees to judge distances in constructing comb.

Summary

Etty [Henrietta Darwin] much improved.

Reference to his "hobby of striped asses".

Sceptical of JBI’s "curious stories" on spirit-tapping: "believe nothing one hears & only half of what one sees".

Summary

Henrietta’s illness.

CD’s resort to [E. W. Lane’s] water-cure.

Other family news.

Summary

Asks identity of [Henry] Fawcett, who wrote a capital article on the Origin in Macmillan’s Magazine [3 (1860): 81–92], "A popular exposition of Mr Darwin".

Summary

Discusses possible translation of Origin into German. Could HGB advise E. Schweizerbart [Stuttgart publisher] about good translator. Suggests Bronn edit the translation.

Summary

Tells of Etty’s [Henrietta]’s illness and progress; their future plans.

Mentions some responses to the Origin; the naturalists are fighting over it in North America.

Summary

Further additions and corrections for American Origin.

Views of Owen, G. H. K. Thwaites, and W. H. Harvey on CD’s theories.

Summary

Thanks RP for communicating the "Rat v. Rabbit case".

Summary

News of Etty’s health and of neighbours.

Pleased that JBI likes Origin.

CD never expected to convert people in less than 20 years, though now convinced he is "in the main right". Bishop of Oxford’s review made "splendid fun" of him.

Summary

Thanks THH for his lecture ["On the study of zoology", Lay sermons, addresses and reviews (1870), pp. 104–31]. Best exposé and classification of the higher objects of natural history he has ever read. On reading and observation.

Henrietta’s lack of improvement.

R. McDonnell’s work on rays and electric organs of fishes.

Summary

Responds to HGB’s critique of Origin [appended to German translation of Origin]. Comments on English reviews.

Summary

Owen wants to be civil, and sneer behind CD’s back.

Those, like Rudolph Wagner, who want to go halfway on theory, are "booked to go further".

Anatomy of orchids.

Huxley says K. E. von Baer goes "a great way with me".

Summary

Thanks HGB for agreeing to superintend translation of Origin.

Comments on HGB’s review.

Encloses corrections and preface for Schweizerbart. Discusses translation of term "natural selection".

Summary

Sends ticket to pigeon show.

A quotation from Erasmus Darwin’s Zoonomia [1794, 1796] shows that he anticipated Lamarck.

G. Grote impressed by Times review [26 Dec 1859, p. 8].

Summary

Gives observations on the habits of the "agricultural ant" of Texas.

Summary

H. G. Bronn offers to superintend a German translation of Origin.

Bronn has reviewed Origin [Neues Jahrbuch für Mineralogie (1860), p. 112].

Summary

Has read sheets of AG’s third Atlantic Monthly article [Oct 1860] and praises it and AG’s other reviews and articles highly.

Is surprised at the inability of others to grasp the meaning of natural selection.

Has been testing the sensitivity of Drosera, which he finds remarkable.

Asks if AG will be able to make some observations on orchids for him.

Summary

Answers HGB’s criticism of Origin.

Explains HGB’s case of differences in rats by adaptation.

CD’s view explains homological and embryological resemblances of each type.

Does not believe all development is at same rate. Cites Australian forms.

Does not see force of objection that origin of life must be explained.

Asks if C. L. Brehm’s subspecies of birds are really characteristic of regions of Germany.

Summary

Very pleased with IGStH’s approval [of Origin]. Will be proud to place IGStH’s Résumé des lecons sur la question de l’espèce (I. Geoffroy Saint-Hilaire 1851) alongside his other works in his library.

Grateful for his offer to look over the difficult passages in Origin for a translator.

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.