To Alphonse de Candolle 17 June [1862]
Summary
Is pleased that AdeC is interested in the Primula case ["Dimorphic condition of Primula", Collected papers 2: 45–63]. Is pursuing analogous experiments on other plants and on seedlings raised from the unions.
CD’s "large work" progresses slowly owing to ill health and his work on Orchids.
CD is not surprised that AdeC is unwilling to admit natural selection – "the subject hardly admits of direct proof or evidence. It will be believed in only by those who think that it connects & partly explains several large classes of facts".
Hopes AdeC will publish on Quercus
and rejoices that he intends to return to the study of geographical distribution. No one can claim to have read AdeC’s truly great work on that subject [Géographie botanique (1855)] with more care than CD.
Author: | Charles Robert Darwin |
Addressee: | Alphonse de Candolle |
Date: | 17 June [1862] |
Classmark: | Archives de la famille de Candolle (private collection) |
Letter no: | DCP-LETT-3608 |
From Alphonse de Candolle 13 June 1862
Summary
Has read the Origin several times. His position is like Asa Gray’s: he wishes to believe in descent, but proofs of natural selection are lacking.
Looks forward to CD’s promised large book.
Thanks for Primula paper [Collected papers 2: 45–63]. Did CD sow the seeds of his crosses? One would like to know whether the two forms reappear at random.
Author: | Alphonse de Candolle |
Addressee: | Charles Robert Darwin |
Date: | 13 June 1862 |
Classmark: | DAR 161.1: 10 |
Letter no: | DCP-LETT-3603 |
From Alphonse de Candolle 18 September 1862
Summary
Praises Orchids.
He has finished his work on Quercus.
H. Lecoq has worked on hybridism,
and P. Duchartre on orchid polymorphism.
Author: | Alphonse de Candolle |
Addressee: | Charles Robert Darwin |
Date: | 18 Sept 1862 |
Classmark: | DAR 161.1: 11 |
Letter no: | DCP-LETT-3730 |
letter | (3) |
Candolle, Alphonse de | (2) |
Darwin, C. R. | (1) |
Darwin, C. R. | (2) |
Candolle, Alphonse de | (1) |