Summary

Sends corrections for new French edition of Origin.

Summary

Will send back proofs of Origin 6th ed.

Summary

Asks WWB to send 8 grains of acetate of strychnine by post.

Summary

Thanks for information about Henslow’s mouse.

Summary

Protests against FJW making the struggle for existence still more odious by calling it ‘selfish competition’.

Summary

Discusses new edition of Descent.

Summary

W. Crookes’s article ["Enquiry into phenomena called spiritual", Q. J. Sci. n.s. 4 (1874): 77–97] "staggers" her. Would like to know CD’s opinion.

Summary

Thanks author of an anonymous Swedish review of CD’s works [in Samtiden, Vecksckrift för politik och litteratur, ed. C. F. Bergstedt, nos. 23–5 (1871): 358–64, 374–81, 390–7]. CD is surprised to learn the Origin has appeared in Swedish [1869].

Summary

Has received Chauncey Wright’s pamphlet [see 7940].

Has reviewed Quarterly Review article and 2d ed. of Genesis of species for the Contemporary Review [18 (1871): 443–76].

Mivart has hopelessly misunderstood Suarez [Disputiones (1630)] on evolution.

Summary

Thanks CD for Descent.

Sends a copy of his oratio inauguralis on De harmonie van het dierlijke leven [1848] in which he espoused evolution, but did not see the influence of natural selection.

Summary

Thanks for providing turtle soup.

Not quite so sure he thanks VL for introducing Richard Buckley Litchfield into the Darwin family to be CD’s son-in-law.

Asks about the lip position of a pouting child.

Summary

Sees mistake he made on certificates; will make list for future use.

Summary

Thanks CD for helping with arrangements for an American edition [of Primitive marriage (1865)].

He is an old friend of CD’s son-in-law, R. B. Litchfield, and of John Lubbock.

Summary

Meeting with CD postponed.

Summary

Finished the last proofs of Descent a few days ago. "I shall be well abused."

St George Mivart’s Genesis [of species]: very good, unfortunately theological. Will tell heavily against natural selection but not against evolution, and this is "infinitely more important".

Summary

Comments on Descent.

EH’s refusal of position at Vienna.

Summary

Reports on the international support he has obtained for the zoological station [see 7038]. Asks CD whether he will serve on a board of naturalists who would receive an annual report on the station.

Huxley is now convinced by AD’s views on homologies of the nervous system of arthropods, annelids, and vertebrates. Kovalevsky takes the same line but does not go far enough.

Summary

Admiration for vol. 2 of Descent, and plans for his review of it for the Academy [2 (1871): 177–82].

News of his new residence.

Summary

Regrets he is too unwell to see RT before his departure for the Cape; wishes him well.

Summary

CD is allowing his family to decide whether Chauncey Wright’s paper on Mivart is dull.

Health and despondency.

Doubts his ability to answer Mivart successfully [in 6th ed. of Origin].