Summary

Movements in Oxalis.

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Reports bargaining with William Farrer on Horace’s marriage-settlement.

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Has given his reasons for believing that twisting of stem is related to circumnutation in Climbing plants.

Tells results of experiments on movement of cotyledons and radicles.

Is getting aerial heliotropic roots from Kew.

Summary

Thanks CD for comments on Freie Wissenschaft und freie Lehre [1878].

Describes work on Medusae.

Describes work on Challenger Radiolaria and publication plans.

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Thanks CD on behalf of herself and sister [E. A. Wheler] for the gift of Erasmus Darwin. Comments to amplify parts of it.

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How to bargain on Horace Darwin’s marriage-settlement: Francis received £5000; Horace could receive more as an inducement for the Farrers to increase Ida’s dowry.

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Experiments to determine mechanism of tendril curvature; importance of variations in cell turgidity. Contraction in roots caused by increased turgor.

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Sends Dr Erasmus Darwin’s commonplace book, some letters, and poems.

Family news.

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Sends family news;

describes what remains of his "menagerie" and tells of his interest in the framework of his son’s German badger-hound.

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Fungus is an Aecidium. Porliera, Anthuriums and Aroids will hopefully sprout if weather gets hot. Sachs has changed his ideas about the cause of heliotropism. Describes men he is sharing a lab with.

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Notes and a copy of a letter written by ESG to John Dowson of Whitby. Expresses her opinion of the biographies of Erasmus Darwin written by Mrs Schimmelpenninck and Anna Seward.

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Thanks his cousin for lending two letters [to be used in Ernst Krause’s biography of Erasmus Darwin, their grandfather].

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Relieved to hear that EK approves of his notice [preface for Erasmus Darwin]. Is reflecting on idea that it might appear after EK’s article as "an additional or supplementary notice".

Grieved to hear that Grant Allen has been accused of plagiarism.

Summary

Returns an "old book" [? Baeta, Comparative view of the theories and practice of Drs Cullen, Brown and Darwin (1800); see Erasmus Darwin, p. 107]. Glad to see that Dr Erasmus Darwin’s views on fever were attended to.

Fears his life of Dr Darwin will be a poor affair. "Never again will I be tempted out of my proper work."

Summary

Will attempt to copy the drawing of Elston Hall [Erasmus Darwin, p. 3]. Does not remember the highway robber story [ibid., pp. 64–5].

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Thanks for information and stories about Erasmus Darwin.

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Directs CD where to find tools in his room. Has been looking at agave and aloe flowers. Thanks family for their letters.

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Sorry to hear Henrietta’s opinion of the [Erasmus Darwin] proofs. GHD did not think it dull. He makes some suggestions.

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Sends copy of a lecture [by John Dowson, see 11949] published in 1861.

Has not yet found a copy of Anna Seward’s biography for EK. It is a wretched, inaccurate book. To contradict Anna Seward’s version, CD intends to write a short preface to the translation of EK’s essay. Doubts that it will be worth translating into German.

Summary

Research for Erasmus Darwin. CD has always thought there is one "golden rule" for biographers: "not to insert anything which … would interest only the members of the Family".