Summary

Discusses movement of ears and contraction of the platysma.

Discusses phyllotaxy, citing work of Carl Nägeli and Chauncey Wright.

Summary

Thanks for letter of introduction for his sons visiting America.

Summary

Sends notes on Fritz Müller’s letter.

Summary

Received his last letter.

Their third lecture will contain a history of creation from the Darwinian point of view.

Summary

Discusses loss of voluntary movement of ears in man and monkey.

Summary

Discusses publication of Descent. Orders copies of vol. 2 sent to Wallace, Mivart, and F. P. Cobbe.

Will attend Athenaeum and vote for RC.

Summary

Upset to learn he has misrepresented CD’s doctrine on Pangenesis [in Proc. R. Soc. Lond. 19 (1871): 393–410]. Hopes that CD’s letter to Nature [3 (1871): 502–3; Collected papers 2: 165–7] will clarify the doctrine and attract attention to it.

Summary

Thanks for information about blushing of idiots.

Case of pregnant woman "truly wonderful".

Thanks for photographs.

Has found London photographer, O. G. Rejlander, with passion for photographing expression.

Received information about iris of eye from F. C. Donders; shows contraction and dilation of pupil is very complex.

Summary

Reports further observations on contraction of platysma. Has been assisted by J. Wood. [See Expression, pp. 302, 303.]

Summary

CD is very unwell; will be unable to see RT.

Summary

Asks what his profits on the reprints of Descent will be when half have been sold.

Good reviews in Saturday Review and Pall Mall Gazette;

contemptuous one as usual in Athenæum.

Summary

Is sending copy of Descent.

Thanks for copy of WP’s book [Die Blutkrystalle (1871)].

Discusses shape of external ear.

Summary

Answers CD’s letter [7560], on points of agreement between them, the chief one being the sympathy which man has with his fellows. Disagrees however with CD’s "principle" of the painful feelings of dissatisfied instinct.

Summary

CD will pay for the American trip if it takes place.

Asks whether FD can help him understand the eyes of cephalopods; is the structure the same as in the Vertebrata and are the parts developed from homologous layers of skin?

Has been pleased by a recent review.

Postscript: Is thinking of a cheap edition of the Origin [1872] in which he hopes to answer St George Mivart’s criticisms.

Asks FD whether he can get some references to good papers on cephalapod eyes.

Summary

Explains about the attendance at St George’s hospital that is required for the MB examaminations, and how this would affect plans for a trip to north America.

Summary

JC-B’s MS most useful.

P. Gratiolet’s observations on contraction and dilation of pupils of eye of a person in extreme terror. Has JC-B ever observed this? Expression has been his hobby-horse for 30 years.

Summary

Henry Holland is taking an active part in helping JDH in the Ayrton affair.

Summary

Agrees that social instinct or love for fellows is the beginning of moral feeling. Responds to CD’s letter [7537].