To S. P. Woodward 6 March [1860]
Summary
Will be glad to have SPW’s criticisms of Origin.
Discusses his use of terms, "typical" and "specialisation".
Emphasises large body of facts explained by his theory of species.
Author: | Charles Robert Darwin |
Addressee: | Samuel Pickworth Woodward |
Date: | 6 Mar [1860] |
Classmark: | DAR 148: 379 |
Letter no: | DCP-LETT-2724 |
To Albrecht Carl Ludwig Gotthilf Günther 6 March [1860]
Summary
Reports on the snakes he collected in the Galapagos.
Author: | Charles Robert Darwin |
Addressee: | Albrecht Carl Ludwig Gotthilf (Albert) Günther |
Date: | 6 Mar [1860] |
Classmark: | Shrewsbury School, Taylor Library |
Letter no: | DCP-LETT-2725 |
To Asa Gray 8 March [1860]
Summary
Further additions and corrections for American Origin.
Views of Owen, G. H. K. Thwaites, and W. H. Harvey on CD’s theories.
Author: | Charles Robert Darwin |
Addressee: | Asa Gray |
Date: | 8 Mar [1860] |
Classmark: | Gray Herbarium of Harvard University (31) |
Letter no: | DCP-LETT-2726 |
To J. D. Hooker 12 March [1860]
Summary
Lyell and CD would urge JDH to make his essays into a book, but see he has embarked on a huge project with G. Bentham [Genera plantarum, 3 vols. (1862–83)].
Author: | Charles Robert Darwin |
Addressee: | Joseph Dalton Hooker |
Date: | 12 Mar [1860] |
Classmark: | DAR 115: 46 |
Letter no: | DCP-LETT-2728 |
To Joseph Prestwich 12 March [1860]
Summary
Asks if JP can send criticism of Origin.
Author: | Charles Robert Darwin |
Addressee: | Joseph Prestwich |
Date: | 12 Mar [1860] |
Classmark: | DAR 147 |
Letter no: | DCP-LETT-2729 |
To J. D. Hooker 18 [March 1860]
Author: | Charles Robert Darwin |
Addressee: | Joseph Dalton Hooker |
Date: | 18 [Mar 1860] |
Classmark: | DAR 115: 47 |
Letter no: | DCP-LETT-2730 |
To G. H. K. Thwaites 21 March [1860]
Summary
Is pleased GHKT goes a little way with him.
Has rectified in foreign editions of Origin his omission of an explanation of the failure of many forms to progress;
also has discussion of beauty in MS. Does GHKT really believe Diatomaceae, for instance, were created beautiful so that man, millions of generations later, should admire them through a microscope? CD attributes most of these structures to unknown laws of growth; useful structures are accounted for by natural selection.
Author: | Charles Robert Darwin |
Addressee: | George Henry Kendrick Thwaites |
Date: | 21 Mar [1860] |
Classmark: | Smithsonian Libraries and Archives (Dibner Library of the History of Science and Technology MSS 405 A. Gift of the Burndy Library) |
Letter no: | DCP-LETT-2731 |
To H. G. Bronn 21 March [1860]
Summary
Thanks HGB [for his Morphologische Studien (1858)].
Pleased at quickness of translation.
Author: | Charles Robert Darwin |
Addressee: | Heinrich Georg Bronn |
Date: | 21 Mar [1860] |
Classmark: | DAR 143 |
Letter no: | DCP-LETT-2732 |
To W. R. Greg 21 March [1860?]
Summary
Is glad to read Greg’s remarks on Origin. Discusses MS Greg has sent for review on proportion of sexes at birth.
Author: | Charles Robert Darwin |
Addressee: | William Rathbone Greg |
Date: | 21 Mar [1860?] |
Classmark: | Sotheby’s, New York (dealers) (December 1996) |
Letter no: | DCP-LETT-2732F |
To W. D. Fox 22 [March 1860]
Summary
Only proof that internal organs and bones were intermediate would convince CD of the possibility of the astounding [deer] hybrid WDF has reported.
Has WDF positive knowledge that common ganders do not always turn white?
Has begun his larger books. New editions of Origin will appear.
What is right and wrong in it will soon be sifted.
Author: | Charles Robert Darwin |
Addressee: | William Darwin Fox |
Date: | 22 [Mar 1860] |
Classmark: | Christ’s College Library, Cambridge (MS 53 Fox 127) |
Letter no: | DCP-LETT-2733 |
To Octavian Blewitt 27 March [1860]
Summary
Declines the honour of acting as Steward at the Annual Dinner of the Royal Literary Fund.
Author: | Charles Robert Darwin |
Addressee: | Octavian Blewitt |
Date: | 27 Mar [1860] |
Classmark: | The British Library (Loan 96: RLF 4/15 1860 file 3) |
Letter no: | DCP-LETT-2733F |
To Charles Lyell [24 March – 3 April 1860]
Summary
Discusses letter of recommendation for Edward Blyth.
Sedgwick’s review of the Origin in the Spectator [24 Mar 1860].
Mentions breaks between geological formations.
Author: | Charles Robert Darwin |
Addressee: | Charles Lyell, 1st baronet |
Date: | [24 Mar – 3 Apr 1860] |
Classmark: | American Philosophical Society (Mss.B.D25.204) |
Letter no: | DCP-LETT-2734 |
To Armand de Quatrefages 30 March [1860]
Summary
Comments on QdeB’s [Études sur les maladies actuelles du ver à soie (1860)].
Has failed to find French publisher for Origin.
Author: | Charles Robert Darwin |
Addressee: | Jean Louis Armand (Armand de Quatrefages) Quatrefages de Bréau |
Date: | 30 Mar [1860] |
Classmark: | DAR 147: 284 |
Letter no: | DCP-LETT-2736 |
To Williams and Norgate 1 April [1860]
Summary
Thanks for information about French dictionaries.
Asks that Westminster Review [of Apr 1860] be sent.
Author: | Charles Robert Darwin |
Addressee: | Williams & Norgate |
Date: | 1 Apr [1860] |
Classmark: | Swiss National Library, Helvetic Archives (SLA-Rhyn-06-d/02) |
Letter no: | DCP-LETT-2739 |
To G. R. Waterhouse 1 April [1860]
Summary
Has no drone cells in collection of honeycombs. Discusses construction of cells by bees and ability of bees to judge distances in constructing comb.
Author: | Charles Robert Darwin |
Addressee: | George Robert Waterhouse |
Date: | 1 Apr [1860] |
Classmark: | Natural History Museum, Library and Archives (General Special Collections MSS DAR 7) |
Letter no: | DCP-LETT-2740 |
To F. J. Pictet de la Rive 1 April [1860]
Summary
Thanks FJP for his review which CD has received and read. There have been many reviews in England opposed to CD but FJP’s is "the single one which seems … perfectly fair & just & candid". The only difference between them is that CD "attaches much more weight to the explanation of facts, & somewhat less weight to the difficulties" than FJP. "I always jump at any theory which groups & explains facts".
Would be proud to send FJP a copy of his Journal of researches.
Author: | Charles Robert Darwin |
Addressee: | François Jules Pictet de la Rive |
Date: | 1 Apr [1860] |
Classmark: | Bibliothèque de Genève (MS. fr. 1651, ff. 10–11) |
Letter no: | DCP-LETT-2741 |
To J. S. Henslow 2 April [1860]
Summary
Reminds JSH to send "sketch & account of the wasp’s comb in transitional state from horizontal to vertical, & the country whence procured".
Asks for information on spread of Anacharis [Elodea].
Sedgwick [in criticism of Origin] was not very fair, but Murray says it is splendid for selling copies to "the unfortunate students".
Author: | Charles Robert Darwin |
Addressee: | John Stevens Henslow |
Date: | 2 Apr [1860] |
Classmark: | DAR 93: A65–6 |
Letter no: | DCP-LETT-2742 |
To Asa Gray 3 April [1860]
Summary
Thinks AG’s review [of Origin] will aid much in making people think about subject.
Has been savagely and unfairly reviewed by Adam Sedgwick in the Spectator [24 Mar 1860],
but thinks F. J. Pictet’s review in opposition ["Sur l’origine de l’espèce", Arch. Sci. Phys. & Nat. n.s. 7 (1860): 231–55] a very fair one.
Author: | Charles Robert Darwin |
Addressee: | Asa Gray |
Date: | 3 Apr [1860] |
Classmark: | Gray Herbarium of Harvard University (47) |
Letter no: | DCP-LETT-2743 |
To John Murray 4 April [1860]
Summary
Has not yet read Huxley’s review of Origin in Westminster Review [Apr 1860].
F. J. Pictet has published an excellent review, though opposed to CD, in Bibliothèque Universelle de Genève [Mar 1860].
Author: | Charles Robert Darwin |
Addressee: | John Murray |
Date: | 4 Apr [1860] |
Classmark: | National Library of Scotland (John Murray Archive) (Ms.42152 f. 76) |
Letter no: | DCP-LETT-2745 |
To Frederick Smith 4 April [1860]
Summary
Variations in sizes of bees’ cells.
Author: | Charles Robert Darwin |
Addressee: | Frederick Smith |
Date: | 4 Apr [1860] |
Classmark: | H. R. Glennie (private collection) |
Letter no: | DCP-LETT-2746 |
Hooker, J. D. | (53) |
Lyell, Charles | (40) |
Huxley, T. H. | (29) |
Gray, Asa | (25) |
Oliver, Daniel | (21) |
Darwin, C. R. | (380) |
Hooker, J. D. | (53) |
Lyell, Charles | (40) |
Huxley, T. H. | (29) |
Gray, Asa | (25) |