To Charles Lyell 23 February [1860]
Summary
Gradation in the eye.
Hooker intends to reply [to W. H. Harvey’s article in Gard. Chron. (1860): 145–6].
Discusses Aspicarpa with respect to correlation.
Comments on monstrous animals.
Discusses objections of Bronn and Asa Gray to natural selection. Cites parallel between natural selection and Newton’s concept of gravitation.
Mentions German experiments on spontaneous generation.
| Author: | Charles Robert Darwin |
| Addressee: | Charles Lyell, 1st baronet |
| Date: | 23 Feb [1860] |
| Classmark: | American Philosophical Society (Mss.B.D25.200) |
| Letter no: | DCP-LETT-2707 |
To J. D. Hooker [23 February 1860]
Summary
Too ill to go to club.
| Author: | Charles Robert Darwin |
| Addressee: | Joseph Dalton Hooker |
| Date: | [23 Feb 1860] |
| Classmark: | DAR 115: 42 |
| Letter no: | DCP-LETT-2708 |
To F. J. Pictet de la Rive 23 February [1860]
Summary
Is extremely pleased by what FJP says of his book [Origin]. Recalls how slowly he changed his own opinion; does not think anyone "could at once undergo so great a revolution in opinion". Thanks FJP for his intended notice of the work [Bibl. Univers. Arch. Sci. Phys. & Nat. 7 (1860)].
Recommends an "excellent Review by that admirable Botanist Asa Gray" [Am. J. Sci. 2d ser. 29 (1860): 153–84].
L. Agassiz is very bitter against CD’s book but H. G. Bronn, although very much opposed, "with noble liberality of sentiment" is going to superintend a German translation.
As FJP’s studies lead him to reflect on "Geological Succession, Geographical Distribution, Classification, Homology & Embryology", CD expects that he will go a little further with him because "these facts … are inexplicable on the theory of creation".
| Author: | Charles Robert Darwin |
| Addressee: | François Jules Pictet de la Rive |
| Date: | 23 Feb [1860] |
| Classmark: | Bibliothèque de Genève (MS. fr. 1651, ff. 8–9) |
| Letter no: | DCP-LETT-2709 |
From James Lamont [23 February 1860]
Summary
Believes the British and Norwegian species of red grouse are merely strongly marked varieties of the same species.
Writes of the effect of importing a few brace of a wilder breed of grouse into Argyleshire and of their change in territory since 1846.
His explanation of game becoming "wilder": he thinks it is due to a difference in their enemies – man replacing hawks leads to flight replacing cowering.
| Author: | James Lamont, 1st baronet |
| Addressee: | Charles Robert Darwin |
| Date: | [23 Feb 1860] |
| Classmark: | DAR 47: 150–1 |
| Letter no: | DCP-LETT-2710 |
To A. C. Ramsay 23 February [1860]
Summary
Pleased ACR likes Origin. Every geological believer is most important. A long, stiff battle is ahead for the new doctrine.
| Author: | Charles Robert Darwin |
| Addressee: | Andrew Crombie Ramsay |
| Date: | 23 Feb [1860] |
| Classmark: | DAR 261.9: 2 (EH 88205975) |
| Letter no: | DCP-LETT-2711 |
To Herbert Spencer 23 [February 1860]
Summary
HS put the case of selection strikingly and clearly in his article [Anonymous, "A theory of population, deduced from the general law of animal fertility", Westminster Rev. 57 (1852): 468–501]. Of CD’s numerous private critics only HS has rendered the philosophy fairly: his argument is an hypothesis that explains groups of facts.
| Author: | Charles Robert Darwin |
| Addressee: | Herbert Spencer |
| Date: | 23 [Feb 1860] |
| Classmark: | University of London, Senate House Library (MS. 791/51) |
| Letter no: | DCP-LETT-3126 |
| letter | (6) |
| Darwin, C. R. | (5) |
| Lamont, James | (1) |
| Darwin, C. R. | (1) |
| Hooker, J. D. | (1) |
| Lyell, Charles | (1) |
| Pictet de la Rive, F. J. | (1) |
| Ramsay, A. C. | (1) |
| Darwin, C. R. | |
| Hooker, J. D. | (1) |
| Lamont, James | (1) |
| Lyell, Charles | (1) |
| Pictet de la Rive, F. J. | (1) |
| Ramsay, A. C. | (1) |
| Spencer, Herbert | (1) |
