Summary

Is frustrated to see, from a paragraph in Nature [18 (1878): 242], that Charles Lagrange has got hold of the same sort of ideas as he has.

Erasmus is unwell.

Summary

Refers to Charles Lagrange, who is working on the same subject as GHD, but in a fundamentally different way.

Summary

Sends drawings of specimens [of Thalia] CD requested.

Summary

Recounts the experiments on Fechner’s law he has found in Helmholz; they are on the smallest perceptible differences of illumination. Describes how to test whether plants’ responses to lights are in accordance with it.

Summary

Encloses William Thomson’s report on GHD’s paper. Some of it was written in Rayleigh’s hand.

Summary

Asks CD if he would screw himself up to inviting A. Newton to Down.

Summary

Thanks CD [for his increased allowance?].

Writes of his tour [in Algeria].

Summary

Encloses some references [missing] to information on Dr Erasmus Darwin.

Summary

Sends CD an article on Dr Erasmus Darwin [from Monthly Magazine, see 12028].

Tells of a "discovery" he has made about taking observations of the sun. Does not know yet whether it is new.

Summary

Sends abstracts of more articles [on Dr Erasmus Darwin] from Monthly Magazine.

Summary

Sends results of his researches on the Darwin family at the Record Office.

Summary

Has written to Col. J. L. Chester [genealogist] to ask whether he would like to see the deeds [for Darwin genealogy, see Emma Darwin 2: 237].

Summary

Sorry to hear Henrietta’s opinion of the [Erasmus Darwin] proofs. GHD did not think it dull. He makes some suggestions.

Summary

Erasmus thinks CD should give a copy of Erasmus Darwin to Henry Parker.

Summary

Writes on family matters and researches.

Mentions construction of a pendulum

and completion of a paper he will send to the Royal Society.

Summary

Has sent off paper to the Royal Society

and begun work on a new problem which he feels contains the meaning of Bode’s Law, concerning the mean distances of the planets from the sun. There are mathematical difficulties, however, which he may be unable to surmount.

Will get to work on the pendulum next week.

Summary

Writes of a Mrs Noel, who is annoyed with CD’s neglect of Erasmus Darwin’s brother, W[illiam] A[lvey] D[arwin I], [in Erasmus Darwin].

Summary

Unable to acquire pure trypsin. W. F. Kühne is probably the only man who had it. Will send an almost pure sample out of which A. S. Lea makes pancreatic ferment.

Summary

Asks CD’s advice on how to answer a letter requesting his endorsement of Wrigley, his former teacher at Clapham School.

Summary

Is having a trough made to try experiments [on ripple-marks].