Summary

Sends, with CD’s approval, a clarification of CD’s explanation of how useless organs might diminish [see 9061]. Using Quetelet’s law of normal distribution GHD shows how horns of cattle, having become useless, would gradually diminish and finally disappear.

Summary

Encloses a letter from a Mr Hill on some [unspecified] legal matter.

Summary

Asks GHD to send a copy of his "paper on the moon" [probably Philos. Trans. R. Soc. Lond. 171 (1880): 713–891] to V. O. Kovalevsky.

Summary

Writes of his work and a paper accepted for publication in the Philosophical Transactions [? "Stresses caused in the interior of the earth", Philos. Trans. R. Soc. Lond. 173 (1883): 187–230].

Gives news of friends.

Summary

Has sent Kovalevsky his major paper on the moon’s motion, with references to others.

Summary

Encloses letter from R. S. Ball [missing], who has placed reliance on Samuel Haughton’s wild speculations.

Has heard that J. Challis’s health is worse.

Summary

Has sent last week’s Nature wth J. S. Newberry’s paper ["Hypothetical high tides", Nature 25 (1882): 357–8]. CD thinks Newberry is right. This week’s issue has a letter against Newberry by Charles Callaway ["Letters to the editor: hypothetical high tides", Nature 25 (1882): 385].

The Archbishop of Canterbury has launched a series by scientists in the Contemporary Review on what is known and what is theoretical in science. [The series appears to have begun with an article by Robert S. Ball, "The boundaries of astronomy", 41 (1882): 923–41]. CD was asked to participate, but refused.

Summary

Sends date of his mother’s death – 7 Apr 1859.

Was completely mystified by conjuring performance of [John Nevil] Maskelyne.

Summary

Letter from school with instructions where to put away his belongings at home.

Summary

Writes about their new billiard table.

Summary

Leonard Darwin has scarlet fever so GHD has said he should be sent home and has asked E. A. Williams to call at Down.

Summary

Describes insects caught while visiting Lythrum.

Summary

Notes, calculations, and diagrams on phyllotaxy.

Summary

Discusses some angles [relating to phyllotaxy].

The forthcoming school holidays.

Summary

Enquires about the relationship of English grains to French milligrammes.

Summary

Calculates the relationship between grains and milligrams; asks his mother for a fruit tart and twelve napkins.

Summary

Asks GHD what the chances are against squinting and non-squinting children coming alternately in a family of ten.

Summary

CD has come to think a name better than "Pangenesis" is needed. Asks GHD to get a suggestion from a classics scholar. "Cell-genesis wd be perfect if it cd be put into Greek."

Summary

Has asked a classics scholar about a word for Pangenesis. He suggests "atomogenesis".

Is getting in rather a fright about the coming exams.

Summary

Congratulations on GHD’s brilliant tripos success.