To Asa Gray 2 January [1863]
Summary
Thanks AG for Cypripedium and Mitchella.
Plans to investigate pollination of Cypripedium.
Has finished Linum paper [Collected papers 2: 93–105].
Would welcome facts on "bud-variations".
Hears that Cinchona is dimorphic.
Author: | Charles Robert Darwin |
Addressee: | Asa Gray |
Date: | 2 Jan [1863] |
Classmark: | Gray Herbarium of Harvard University (56) |
Letter no: | DCP-LETT-3897 |
To Asa Gray 19 January [1863]
Summary
Comments on his own review of Bates’s butterfly paper [Collected papers 2: 87–92].
Thanks AG for information on Platanthera.
Has been wasting more time with Melastomataceae; can find no nectar in Monochaetum; is there any in Rhexia?
Hopes Lincoln’s "fiat against Slavery" will have some effect.
Author: | Charles Robert Darwin |
Addressee: | Asa Gray |
Date: | 19 Jan [1863] |
Classmark: | Gray Herbarium of Harvard University (57) |
Letter no: | DCP-LETT-3927 |
To Asa Gray 23 February [1863]
Summary
Recommends Lyell’s book [Antiquity of man (1863)].
Quotes praise of AG’s pamphlet [see 2938].
Comments on U. S. politics.
Author: | Charles Robert Darwin |
Addressee: | Asa Gray |
Date: | 23 Feb [1863] |
Classmark: | Gray Herbarium of Harvard University (55) |
Letter no: | DCP-LETT-4006 |
To Asa Gray 20 March [1863]
Summary
Discusses the meaning of C. K. Sprengel’s term "dichogamy". Dichogamous plants are functionally monoecious; Primula is functionally dioecious.
Reports Hermann Crüger’s observations of Cattleya and of bees pollinating Catasetum. Crüger will observe Melastomataceae.
Has built a hothouse.
Fears Amsinckia cannot be dimorphic.
Ill health slows his work on Variation.
Author: | Charles Robert Darwin |
Addressee: | Asa Gray |
Date: | 20 Mar [1863] |
Classmark: | Gray Herbarium of Harvard University (58) |
Letter no: | DCP-LETT-4053 |
To Asa Gray 20 April [1863]
Summary
Fears England and U. S. will drift into war; he and AG must "keep to Science".
Thanks for facts on Incas; regrets he has always avoided the case of man.
Has sent his Linum paper [Collected papers 2: 93–105].
Is it true that Ohio has legislated against marriage of cousins?
Can AG explain the invariable angles in phyllotaxy; are they the consequence of packing in the early bud?
Owen’s comments on heterogeny in the Athenæum [28 Mar 1863] have vexed W. B. Carpenter; CD has replied [Collected papers 2: 78–80].
Hopes AG will observe Gymnadenia; John Scott has been experimenting on its fertilisation.
Gives his observation on pollination of Cypripedium.
Author: | Charles Robert Darwin |
Addressee: | Asa Gray |
Date: | 20 Apr [1863] |
Classmark: | Gray Herbarium of Harvard University (51) |
Letter no: | DCP-LETT-4110 |
To Asa Gray 11 May [1863]
Summary
CD despairs when men like AG and Lyell consider themselves incapable of judging on change of species by descent.
Is confused over phyllotaxy.
Has been looking at Plantago lanceolata.
Author: | Charles Robert Darwin |
Addressee: | Asa Gray |
Date: | 11 May [1863] |
Classmark: | Gray Herbarium of Harvard University (59) |
Letter no: | DCP-LETT-4153 |
To Asa Gray 31 May [1863]
Summary
AG’s review of Alphonse de Candolle’s paper [Am. J. Sci. 2d ser. 35 (1863): 430–44] is excellent.
Does not AG consider that orchids oppose Oswald Heer’s view that species arise suddenly by monstrosities?
Infers that AG cannot explain the angles of phyllotaxy; has been looking at Carl Nägeli on the subject.
Reports Gaston de Saporta’s belief that natural selection will ultimately triumph in France.
Is working slowly at Variation.
Reports his observations on the imperfect flowers of Viola and Oxalis.
Author: | Charles Robert Darwin |
Addressee: | Asa Gray |
Date: | 31 May [1863] |
Classmark: | Gray Herbarium of Harvard University (84) |
Letter no: | DCP-LETT-4196 |
To Asa Gray 26 June [1863]
Summary
Thanks AG for references about phyllotaxy
and information on marriage laws.
Has been looking for dimorphism in Phlox and Euonymus.
Has observed the irritability of tendrils of Echinocystis with great interest. Was also struck by the rotating movements of the leading shoots, which he proposes to investigate.
Author: | Charles Robert Darwin |
Addressee: | Asa Gray |
Date: | 26 June [1863] |
Classmark: | Gray Herbarium of Harvard University (82) |
Letter no: | DCP-LETT-4222 |
To Asa Gray 4 August [1863]
Summary
Anticipated AG’s attitude on design in orchids. Does he not think that the variations that gave rise to fancy pigeon varieties were accidental?
Has been working hard at Lythrum
and spontaneous movements of tendrils.
Defends Drosera as a "sagacious animal" but does not know whether he will ever publish on it.
Comments on political situation in U. S.
Author: | Charles Robert Darwin |
Addressee: | Asa Gray |
Date: | 4 Aug [1863] |
Classmark: | Gray Herbarium of Harvard University (83) |
Letter no: | DCP-LETT-4262 |
From Asa Gray 27 January 1863
Summary
Discusses the ill-will between England and U. S.
Considers the bases for deciding which plant species are "high" and which "low".
Comments on Alphonse de Candolle’s paper on oaks ["Étude sur l’espèce", Ann. Sci. Nat. (Bot.) 4th ser. 18 (1862): 59–110].
Encloses S. H. Scudder’s letter on Lepidoptera and fertilisation of orchids which identifies a butterfly with Platanthera pollinia adhering to it. Jokingly applies natural selection to butterflies acted on by orchid pollinia.
Author: | Asa Gray |
Addressee: | Charles Robert Darwin |
Date: | 27 Jan 1863 |
Classmark: | DAR 165: 129, 130 |
Letter no: | DCP-LETT-3950 |
From Asa Gray 22–30 March 1863
Summary
Discusses the Duke of Argyll’s article on the supernatural [Edinburgh Rev. 116 (1862): 378–97].
Has heard that the Incas married their sisters; this may be worth investigating as a case of inbreeding.
Author: | Asa Gray |
Addressee: | Charles Robert Darwin |
Date: | 22–30 Mar 1863 |
Classmark: | DAR 165: 131 |
Letter no: | DCP-LETT-4056 |
From Asa Gray 11 April 1863
Author: | Asa Gray |
Addressee: | Charles Robert Darwin |
Date: | 11 Apr 1863 |
Classmark: | DAR 165: 132 |
Letter no: | DCP-LETT-4081 |
From Asa Gray 13 April 1863
Summary
Hopes CD will finish and bring out his book on variation.
AG will publish extracts of H. W. Bates’s paper on mimetic analogy [Am. J. Sci. 2d ser. 36 (1863): 279–94].
Author: | Asa Gray |
Addressee: | Charles Robert Darwin |
Date: | 13 Apr 1863 |
Classmark: | DAR 165: 133 |
Letter no: | DCP-LETT-4089 |
From Asa Gray 20 April 1863
Author: | Asa Gray |
Addressee: | Charles Robert Darwin |
Date: | 20 Apr 1863 |
Classmark: | DAR 165: 134 |
Letter no: | DCP-LETT-4112 |
From Asa Gray 26 May 1863
Summary
Discusses recent correspondence in the Athenæum: the disagreement between Lyell and Hugh Falconer and Owen’s remarks on heterogeny [see 4110].
Briefly discusses orchids and some problems in phyllotaxy.
Mentions the political situation and the quarrelsome behaviour of the English.
Author: | Asa Gray |
Addressee: | Charles Robert Darwin |
Date: | 26 May 1863 |
Classmark: | DAR 165: 135 |
Letter no: | DCP-LETT-4186 |
From Asa Gray [10–16] June [1863]
Summary
Possible dimorphism in Phlox.
Knows of no U. S. law prohibiting marriage of cousins.
Gives references to papers on phyllotaxy.
Author: | Asa Gray |
Addressee: | Charles Robert Darwin |
Date: | [10–16] June [1863] |
Classmark: | DAR 165: 136 |
Letter no: | DCP-LETT-4198 |
From Asa Gray 7 July 1863
Summary
Has extracted CD’s Linum paper [Am. J. Sci. 2d ser. 36 (1863): 279–84].
Elaborate co-adaptations of orchids and insects demonstrate against "chance blows", whether few, as Oswald Heer would have, or many and slight as CD proposes.
Author: | Asa Gray |
Addressee: | Charles Robert Darwin |
Date: | 7 July 1863 |
Classmark: | DAR 165: 127, 137 |
Letter no: | DCP-LETT-4234 |
From Asa Gray 21 July 1863
Summary
Gives some observations on Drosera.
Comments on Richard Owen’s "transmutation theory" in his aye-aye paper [Trans. Zool. Soc. Lond. 5 (1866): 33–101].
Author: | Asa Gray |
Addressee: | Charles Robert Darwin |
Date: | 21 July 1863 |
Classmark: | DAR 165: 128, 138 |
Letter no: | DCP-LETT-4248 |
From Asa Gray 1 September 1863
Summary
Sees difficulties in adhering to the concept of design in nature.
Is surprised at Hooker’s and Daniel Oliver’s ignorance regarding spontaneous movements of tendrils.
CD should continue his work on climbing plants, "it will be fruitful in your hands".
Author: | Asa Gray |
Addressee: | Charles Robert Darwin |
Date: | 1 Sept 1863 |
Classmark: | DAR 157.2: 108; DAR 165: 139, 140 |
Letter no: | DCP-LETT-4288 |
From Asa Gray 23 November 1863
Author: | Asa Gray |
Addressee: | Charles Robert Darwin |
Date: | 23 Nov 1863 |
Classmark: | DAR 165: 141 |
Letter no: | DCP-LETT-4346 |