To Grant Allen [before 21 February 1879]
Summary
Read GA’s book [The colour-sense] with "great interest". Makes criticisms and suggestions.
Cannot believe in GA’s theory of the origin of pleasure and pain.
Is glad he defends sexual selection;
CD finds A. R. Wallace’s explanations "mere empty words" and for many years he has "quite doubted [ARW’s] scientific judgment".
Considers the possible effect of environmental colour on the colour tastes of animals.
Author: | Charles Robert Darwin |
Addressee: | Charles Grant Blairfindie (Grant) Allen |
Date: | [before 21 Feb 1879] |
Classmark: | Cleveland Health Sciences Library (Robert M. Stecher collection) |
Letter no: | DCP-LETT-11891 |
To Grant Allen 2 [May] 1879
Summary
Has just read GA’s article in Fortnightly Review ["A problem of human evolution", 31 (1879): 778–86]. GA’s views very probable. Something wonderful to hear anyone defending sexual selection.
Author: | Charles Robert Darwin |
Addressee: | Charles Grant Blairfindie (Grant) Allen |
Date: | 2 [May] 1879 |
Classmark: | American Philosophical Society (Mss.B.D25.) |
Letter no: | DCP-LETT-11967 |
To Grant Allen 26 May [1879]
Summary
Has GA seen an article on GA’s Colour-sense by a great man, J. R. L. Delboeuf, in Revue Scientifique 24 May 1879? It has pleased CD greatly.
Author: | Charles Robert Darwin |
Addressee: | Charles Grant Blairfindie (Grant) Allen |
Date: | 26 May [1879] |
Classmark: | Cleveland Health Sciences Library (Robert M. Stecher collection) |
Letter no: | DCP-LETT-12062 |
To Grant Allen 17 February 1881
Summary
Thanks for Evolutionist at large [1881]. Envies GA’s power of writing. Some statements are too bold, but several of the views are new to CD and seem "extremely probable".
Author: | Charles Robert Darwin |
Addressee: | Charles Grant Blairfindie (Grant) Allen |
Date: | 17 Feb 1881 |
Classmark: | Cleveland Health Sciences Library (Robert M. Stecher collection) |
Letter no: | DCP-LETT-13055 |
To Grant Allen 2 January 1882
Summary
Thanks GA for his article ["The daisy’s pedigree", Cornhill Mag. 44 (1881): 168–81].
The evolutionary argument that petals are transformed stamens is "striking and apparently valid". Doubts petals are naturally yellow.
Wallace’s "generalization about much modified parts being splendidly coloured" is also dubious except as both are caused by sexual selection.
Author: | Charles Robert Darwin |
Addressee: | Charles Grant Blairfindie (Grant) Allen |
Date: | 2 Jan 1882 |
Classmark: | Cleveland Health Sciences Library (Robert M. Stecher collection) |
Letter no: | DCP-LETT-13594 |
From Grant Allen 13 March [1878]
Summary
Sends MS of his paper, "On the coloration of flowers and fruits", filling a gap in CD’s theory relating to these structures, and asks for CD’s comments.
Plans a book on colour sense.
Author: | Charles Grant Blairfindie (Grant) Allen |
Addressee: | Charles Robert Darwin |
Date: | 13 Mar [1878] |
Classmark: | DAR 159: 41 |
Letter no: | DCP-LETT-11420 |
From Grant Allen 19 March [1878]
Summary
Thanks for comments on paper and references to related works. Clarifies points on colour distinction between energy-absorbing (green) and energy-expending (bright-hued) portions of plants and on the influence of flower colour in modifying the insect organism.
Author: | Charles Grant Blairfindie (Grant) Allen |
Addressee: | Charles Robert Darwin |
Date: | 19 Mar [1878] |
Classmark: | DAR 159: 42 |
Letter no: | DCP-LETT-11432 |
From Grant Allen 12 February 1879
Summary
Has sent copy of his new book, Colour-sense [1879]; in anticipation of criticism, he justifies his reliance on recorded observations rather than experiments, by the heavy demands of his career as a journalist.
Author: | Charles Grant Blairfindie (Grant) Allen |
Addressee: | Charles Robert Darwin |
Date: | 12 Feb 1879 |
Classmark: | DAR 159: 43 |
Letter no: | DCP-LETT-11873 |
From Grant Allen 21 February [1879]
Summary
Thanks for criticisms of Colour-sense.
Clarifies his views that actions desirable for species result in development of nervous organs capable of pleasurable stimulation.
Believes that all "tastes" occurring in nature are explicable with reference to ancestral habits and that none is purely arbitrary.
Author: | Charles Grant Blairfindie (Grant) Allen |
Addressee: | Charles Robert Darwin |
Date: | 21 Feb [1879] |
Classmark: | DAR 159: 44 |
Letter no: | DCP-LETT-11894 |
From Grant Allen 29 May 1879
Summary
Thanks for postcard informing him of Delboeuf’s review of his book; he had already seen review.
Author: | Charles Grant Blairfindie (Grant) Allen |
Addressee: | Charles Robert Darwin |
Date: | 29 May 1879 |
Classmark: | DAR 159: 45 |
Letter no: | DCP-LETT-12068 |
From Grant Allen 19 February [1881]
Author: | Charles Grant Blairfindie (Grant) Allen |
Addressee: | Charles Robert Darwin |
Date: | 19 Feb [1881] |
Classmark: | DAR 159: 47 |
Letter no: | DCP-LETT-13057 |
From Grant Allen 10 December [1881]
Summary
Thanks for copy of Origin with its flattering inscription.
Hopes some day to have leisure to do original research.
Author: | Charles Grant Blairfindie (Grant) Allen |
Addressee: | Charles Robert Darwin |
Date: | 10 Dec [1881] |
Classmark: | DAR 159: 48 |
Letter no: | DCP-LETT-13545 |
From Grant Allen 24 March 1882
Summary
CD and other friends who got up fund for GA in 1879 have now bought him a microscope; thanks CD, especially as the idea came from him; plans to take up original observations with it.
Author: | Charles Grant Blairfindie (Grant) Allen |
Addressee: | Charles Robert Darwin |
Date: | 24 Mar 1882 |
Classmark: | DAR 159: 49 |
Letter no: | DCP-LETT-13736 |
Allen, Grant | (8) |
Darwin, C. R. | (5) |
Darwin, C. R. | (8) |
Allen, Grant | (5) |