Summary

The reviews of Erasmus Darwin are mainly favourable.

Summary

Replies to EK’s queries about German translation of CD’s preface to Erasmus Darwin.

Summary

Samuel Butler’s fierce attack on CD and EK in Athenæum. CD’s sentence saying that EK had altered his Kosmos article was accidentally omitted from second proofs. Butler insinuates that EK’s attack on his book was suggested by CD or interpolated by him in EK’s text.

Summary

CD is pleased that EK will answer Butler. Thinks Butler is half insane.

Summary

CD advises EK on his proposed letter answering Butler.

Considering the favourable reviews, sale of Erasmus Darwin has been poor.

Summary

Thanks EK for kind letter.

CD’s date on epitaph is a dreadful mistake. CD often overlooks errata.

Summary

Regrets delay of photographs [for German edition of Erasmus Darwin].

Summary

Glad to receive the German edition of Erasmus Darwin. Hopes sales will be good. Favourable review has appeared in the United States, in the Nation.

Summary

Thanks EK for two articles about Erasmus Darwin.

Does not think it right that he should receive Kosmos free. Asks for a bill for subscription.

Has not heard from J. Murray if there is any profit on Erasmus Darwin, but "vehementer dubito".

Summary

Profit on Erasmus Darwin is £9 15s 5d. Sends cheque. 218 copies remain unsold.

Summary

Insists that EK take the profits from the English edition of Erasmus Darwin. EK’s essay is the valuable part of the book; CD’s is mainly gossip.

Summary

Bad news about Kosmos [ceasing publication].

Fritz Müller’s losses [in a flood]; "I have long looked on him as the best observer in the world."

EK’s astonishing account of crustacean that repairs its legs in an ancestral form seems to support Pangenesis, which has hardly any friends.

Summary

CD’s sons tell him that Samuel Butler in Unconscious memory states that some passages in Erasmus Darwin were taken from his Evolution, old and new. Their unprejudiced view is that the passages do come from Butler. CD hopes EK will give a clear explanation if he writes on the matter in Kosmos.

CD is taking no public notice of Butler’s attack on himself.

Summary

Pleased by favourable English newspaper reviews of Erasmus Darwin. Charles Reinwald has not yet said whether he wants to use annotations intended for German readers.

Summary

What are functions of "yeomen of the armoury" on p. 1? Who is "old Hooker" on p. 34? Needs to explain them in annotations [to Erasmus Darwin].

Summary

Thinks CD has no need to reply to Samuel Butler’s hostile article [in the Athenæum]. Offers to reply himself.

Summary

Returns [Butler’s] attack, which he forgot to send yesterday.

Summary

Birthday greetings.

Regrets Butler’s malicious attack.

Summary

Agrees not to reply to Butler.

Summary

German edition of Erasmus Darwin delayed because Murray has not sent phototypes and galvanographs.

Two of CD’s articles from Nature to appear in April Kosmos ["Sexual colours in butterflies", Collected papers 2: 220–2, Kosmos 7 (1880): 72–4;

"Fertility of hybrids from the Chinese goose", Collected papers 2: 219–20, Kosmos 7 (1880): 77–8].

Moritz Wagner will begin a series criticising natural selection.