Summary

Gives up plan to have Haeckel’s Generelle morphologie translated.

His big book [Variation] has gone to printer. Thinks of adding a chapter on man.

Will order Duke of Argyll’s book [Reign of law (1867)].

"Nature never made species mutually sterile [by selection]; nor will man.–"

Summary

Comments on EH’s "great work" [Generelle Morphologie].

An English translation "hopeless".

Asks about EH’s expedition.

MS of Variation sent to printers.

Fritz Müller working on plants.

Summary

Asks THH to think about a better name for "Pangenesis"; suggests "Cytarrogenesis" or "Atomogenesis", but still prefers vaguer "Pangenesis".

Summary

Answers CD on transitional forms. Has no doubt Zeuglodon is transitional form between Carnivora and Cetacea.

Met Mivart in Manchester. Some doubt that he was the author of Quarterly Review article.

Summary

Studying freshwater Planariae. Did CD find they had nervous systems?

News of T. C. Eyton and [William?] Owen.

Summary

Thanks for congratulations.

Doubts THH’s response to Pangenesis will give him pleasure. "Oh Lord what a blowing up I may receive."

Still thinks THH has been too "sharp sighted" on hybridism.

Sends Mrs Huxley Queries about expression.

Summary

Asks whether THH has written on affinities of Eocene cetacean Zeuglodon. Wants to cite it in 6th ed. of Origin as in some slight degree an intermediate form, but does not know how far he may venture.

Has had more evidence of profound impression of Mivart’s book [Genesis of species].

Summary

THH’s offer to read proof of essay on man encourages CD to write with satisfaction instead of a vague dread.

Begs Mrs Huxley not to forget corrugator supercilii in a crying child.

Summary

Sends his screed about the brain [for Descent], which he thinks pounds the enemy into a jelly.

Is in good health.

Summary

Will return all but two volumes; requests four titles, including Pepys’s Diaries, but not the first volume.

Summary

Discusses feather as case of evolutionary atavism.

Will soon publish on siliceous sponges

and the skin of caterpillars.

Summary

Congratulates EH on approaching marriage.

Sorry he will not visit in autumn.

Glad EH is re-examining Protoamoeba but puzzled to think what he can find.

Describes newspaper account of criticism by Agassiz of Generelle Morphologie.

Summary

Has declined Presidency of BAAS.

Relation of insular and continental genera will always be difficult problem.

On Providence and the "continuity theory".

Summary

On Haeckel’s Generelle Morphologie; the logical argument for natural selection is still incomplete. THH jumps over the hole by an act of faith.

Summary

Asks CD whether he has given any thought to the phenomena of spiritualism.

Summary

JVC is willing to translate [Variation], especially because of his conviction that progress of biology depends on proving CD’s theory.

Ernst Haeckel’s book [Generelle Morphologie (1866)] will do mischief because EH is so immoderate. Suggests CD tell EH that he has done him a bad service. CD is the only one to whom EH would listen.

Summary

Has heard that FG will write on inheritance. Huxley does not believe in E. G. Balbiani’s views on subject.

Summary

Thanks WED for a present.

Discusses the Duke of Argyll’s Reign of law [1867].

Is busy revising proofs [of Variation].

Summary

Will return Benjamin Jowett’s Epistles of St Paul (Jowett 1855) and requests several books, of which the latest is Hugh Miller’s Cruise of the Betsey (Miller 1858).

Summary

Success of the memorial for Wallace. Sends letter from Gladstone.

Congratulates THH on appointment as Inspector of Fisheries.