Summary

Does CD believe in the "Word of the Lord", i.e., Genesis?

Summary

Thanks for English edition [of Erasmus Darwin]. John Murray has not answered letters of German publisher. Questions CD about persons mentioned in book, in order to annotate German edition.

Summary

Thanks for Erasmus Darwin.

Summary

Thanks CD for a copy of Erasmus Darwin.

Summary

Thanks for Erasmus Darwin.

Summary

Thanks CD for signing a memorial.

Summary

Encloses latest report on his new potatoes. Believes the plants should be grown from seed every fourth year to preserve yield and disease-resistance.

Summary

Sends a book on shorthand

and a paper, probably by Erasmus Darwin, entitled "Moral and physical hermeneutics", on the subject of temperance.

Summary

Thanks for Erasmus Darwin. It is a rare life and an unmatched illustration of the transmission of intellectual strength.

Summary

Supports CD’s theory but doubts that butterfly life-cycle is consistent with it. Metamorphosis of butterflies is not comparable to that of other insects.

Comments on butterfly fertilisation of flowers.

Summary

Intends to get his ideas on the "wearing out" of varieties printed.

This year’s crosses were failures.

Summary

German edition of Erasmus Darwin will not appear until next year.

Summary

Thanks CD for noticing some difficulties in his hypothesis. Concedes that there is no proof that higher plants are more intolerant of carbon dioxide than lower plants. Argues that the main difference between the lowlands and the high mountains in Palaeozoic times would be the much greater climatic fluctuations that would occur on the mountains. Discusses carbon dioxide diffusion in the Palaeozoic atmosphere. Thinks that the large number of species and genera peculiar to high mountains favours the assumption that "their diffusion must date from a geologically remote period" [see ML 2: 20–2].

Summary

Congratulations on Erasmus Darwin; likes CD’s part better than Ernst Krause’s.

Received false notice of Asa Gray’s death.

Gray and JDH engaged in comparing widely separated but floristically similar regions.

Summary

Encloses a report on JT’s potato varieties by William Meredith, one of the many individuals in the country who are growing them.

Summary

Her brother-in-law, Edward Wheler, died on Sunday.

Sends some corrections for Erasmus Darwin.

Summary

Sends some doggerel verse about a literary dandy who is critical of Darwin and Spencer and approves of Ruskin.

Summary

Hopes CD will be able to plant a tree in VAEGM’s garden as a memorial of his visit.

Summary

Erasmus thinks CD should give a copy of Erasmus Darwin to Henry Parker.

Summary

Thanks CD for a copy of Erasmus Darwin.