Summary

Sends Origin as testimony to great benefit CD derived from AdeC’s works on distribution.

Summary

Wants white breeds of poultry.

Poor health necessitates a trip to Moor Park, Farnham.

Summary

Much concerned by death of JBI’s mother.

Summary

Reports events at Down.

Is busy with proofs [of Origin];

is anxious to hear how WED does in his examinations.

Summary

Thanks for letter of caution about Murray. He has offered to publish without seeing MS. CD thinks book will be popular to a certain extent. Lyell’s inducing Murray to publish Origin grates CD’s pride.

Summary

Regrets SC’s increasing deafness, but advises that aurists are humbugs.

Tells of illnesses in family and his own poor health. "I never know 24 hours comfort."

Summary

Will read JDH’s printers’ slips on variation.

CD has been so ill, he wonders whether he will get his book done, though so nearly completed.

Summary

Murray has read first three chapters of Origin and abides by his offer to publish.

Summary

Sorry to hear of AS’s poor health.

Would like to attend Aberdeen meeting [BAAS, 1859] but is unfit for so great an exertion. Has been told he has "suppressed gout".

Pleased that AS remembers their 1831 geological trip, which made CD appreciate the noble science of geology.

Summary

CD is astonished at sale of Origin [to booksellers].

Arranges to start new edition immediately. Cannot change much [while at Ilkley Wells], nor work rapidly because of health. Relieved that JM has no cause to repent of publishing Origin.

Summary

Curious about author of review of Origin in Athenæum.

W. B. Carpenter has written and sounds converted, as has Quatrefages [de Bréau], who will "go a long way with" CD.

Has been ill and thus had time to brood about reception of book.

Summary

More detailed comments on JDH’s introductory essay [to Flora Tasmaniae]. Remarks on struggle of vegetation are admirable.

JDH will receive Origin in about ten days.

Summary

Sends source of description of swimming bear catching insects [Samuel Hearne, A journey from Prince of Wales’s Fort in Hudson’s Bay to the northern ocean … (1795); see Origin, p. 184].

Summary

CD agrees cultivated plants may begin to vary after some time and then may vary suddenly, but cautions JDH on lack of evidence. His explanation is that small variations are ignored until they accumulate.

Summary

CD favours occurrence of reversions, although lack of experiments forces one to vague opinions. Reversions oppose only the inheritance not the occurrence of variation. Discusses relation of reversion, direct influence of conditions, and selection.

Summary

CL’s research on flint tools.

Promises to send proof-sheets of Origin. Discusses his view of species.

Ill health of himself and his family.