Summary

Has heard that Mr Allen wishes to let his house and thinks it probable that it would suit his son [Francis]. Asks whether he may have refusal of it.

Summary

Thanks KM for gift of his "great work on Capital" [2d German ed. of Das Kapital]. Wishes he understood more of "the deep & important subject of political Economy".

Summary

Hears from Frank [Darwin] that Drosera behaves perversely. Suggests that motor influence may move longitudinally away from the excited glands.

Summary

CD thinks GHD’s letter is an excellent clarification [of CD’s conjectural view on the elimination of useless parts in species], but does not want to publish it as his [CD’s] own. Asks GHD to think carefully before he publishes it.

Summary

Requests a piece of the most sensitive litmus paper in order to test the secretions of minute hairs of plants which catch minute flies. [See 9098.]

Summary

Thanks AB for his review of Expression [May 1873, in The senses and the intellect, 3d ed. (1874), pp. 697–714]. Admits vagueness of some points. Has never grasped AB’s principle of spontaneity. But, as they look at everything so differently, it is not likely that they should agree closely.

A recent review by T. S. Baynes, [Edinburgh Rev. 137 (1873): 492–528] is "magnificently contemptuous" toward CD and many others.

Summary

Has not seen number of Botanical Bulletin with account of Apocynum.

Summary

Asks for details about microscope parts.

Wants FD to ask Hooker for species of Desmodium; CD believes he has found new movements.

Also ask whether Hooker has Drosophyllum.

Summary

Asks GHD whether he can tell him what inclination a polished or waxy leaf ought to hold to the horizon in order to let vertical rain rebound off as much as possible.

Summary

Finds the negative information sent by EF of great interest [see 9094].

More on his own experiments and the perplexing results when using the sensitive litmus paper.

Summary

Sends notes on waxy secretion on leaves for F. M. Balfour; cannot procure any more Dionaea.

Summary

Hopes to get another species of Desmodium from Mr Rollisson.

Summary

Apologises for his ignorance in interpreting the results secured in his testing with blue litmus paper.

Summary

Sends Dionaea plant for experiment involving temperature.

Summary

Gratified that a man of JD’s experience agrees with him.

Would enjoy seeing him at Down but it could only be for a half-hour’s talk at most, because of his health.

Summary

CD gives his criticisms of GHD’s essay on religion and the moral sense. Urges him to delay publishing for some months and then to consider whether it is new and important enough to counterbalance the effects of its publication. J. S. Mill would never have influenced the age as he has done had he not refrained from expressing his religious convictions. Cites John Morley’s Life of Voltaire [1872]: direct attacks produce little effect; real good comes from slow and silent side attacks. "My advice is to pause, pause, pause."

Summary

Lists observations he would like FD to make on the dried species of Desmodium at Kew.

Summary

Lists plants in which he is interested, including Neptunia and Mimosa species.

Do any strictly tropical plants have glaucous leaves?

Asks for observations on irritable plants.

Summary

Neptunia is evidently a hopeless case.

Good news that fluid of Nepenthes is acid.

No discovery ever gave him more pleasure than proving a true act of digestion in Drosera.

Has become profoundly interested in Desmodium. Asks whether Frank [Darwin] can look over the whole dried collection of the genus.

Has JDH any seed of Lathyrus nissolia?

Summary

Wants FD to look at the little lateral leaflets of Desmodium. CD has "a wild hypothesis that the little leaflets may be tendrils reconverted into leaflets".