Summary

Sends specimens of a Tertiary sandstone from Tierra del Fuego in which there are leaves; CD thought they were beech. What is JDH’s opinion?

Asks whether JDH can make sense of a note on silicified wood.

Has read Vestiges [of creation (1844)]; "his geology strikes me as bad, & his zoology far worse".

Would like to see lists [of plants] from Society and Sandwich Islands.

Doubts JDH’s information regarding imagination of mother affecting offspring.

Summary

Would like copy of "Galapagos flora" when published ["Plants of the Galapagos Archipelago", Trans. Linn. Soc. Lond. 20 (1851): 163–233].

Will keep JDH’s Pacific island notes till his return.

Summary

Sends comparison of the floras of Society and Sandwich Islands.

Summary

Congratulates JDH and condoles with him on possible position at Edinburgh. Although CD will miss him bitterly, he encourages JDH to view it as a good opportunity.

Sorry to hear that Humboldt is failing.

Summary

Previous letter [missing] on Edinburgh position was ill-tempered. Friends assure him that he ought to be thankful for opportunity to try for professorship.

Reports meeting with Humboldt in Paris.

Summary

Would like to borrow the pamphlet on variation [Frédéric Gérard, "De l’espèce dans les corps organisés" (1844), extract from Dictionnaire universel d’histoire naturelle, ed. C. D. d’Orbigny].

Glad to hear Humboldt’s views on migration. CD believes we cannot "put any limit to the possible and even probable migration of plants".

Wants good book on plant morphology.

Summary

JDH recommends Augustin de Saint-Hilaire’s Leçons de botanique [1841]. Relates opinions of European botanists on migration and plant distribution.

Summary

Has received pamphlet from JDH [John Murray, Strictures on morphology (1845)].

Summary

Hopes JDH will enjoy Edinburgh.

Has just finished Isidore Geoffroy Saint-Hilaire on animal monsters [Anomalies de l’organisation chez l’homme et les animaux (1832–7)], "and a nasty curious subject it is".

Summary

Thanks for information about books.

Murray is publishing CD’s Journal of researches. Would be grateful for a sentence on Galapagos plants.

Summary

A Tasmanian Cyttaria is same species as CD’s Fuegian fungus. Did the species originate on the beeches of Fuegia or of Tasmania?

JDH gives interpretation of Vestiges.

John McCulloch, J. F. Schouw, and Lamarck on the species question.

Summary

Apologises that the house is full this weekend, but next weekend would be good.

Summary

Returns specimens and drawings of Confervae with many thanks. Would appreciate any corrections for second edition of Journal of researches.

Summary

First part of "Galapagos flora" ["Plants of the Galapagos Archipelago", Trans. Linn. Soc. Lond. 20 (1851): 163–233] finished but not printed.

Details of distribution of Galapagos flora. Peculiarity of island floras.

Leaves for Edinburgh on Wednesday.

Summary

Returns notes on Confervae.

Has had information from Ehrenberg on organic forms in Atlantic dust.

Thanks for sketch of Galapagos flora.

Summary

JDH’s books have arrived safely.

Is sending him corrected MS of first part of Journal of researches [2d ed.].

Lyells have just visited.

Summary

Busy correcting proofs. Thanks for JDH’s remarks; asks him to send any other corrections soon; goes to press with second part of Journal of researches in less than a week.

Urges collections of all kinds on any isolated islands.

Summary

Answers CD’s questions relating to the flora of the Galapagos. [See 889.]

Summary

The translation of Humboldt’s Kosmos [Cosmos (1846–58)] is delayed.

Gives instances of peculiar genera with several good species in very small islands. Scarcity of insects on islands.

JDH cannot prove that there is much hybridising, but does not see why there should not be. "Bother variation, development & all such subjects, it is reasoning in a circle I believe after all."

Summary

Raises some points for revision of CD’s Journal of researches.

Southern island floras. "The more I ponder upon Insular Floras the less inclined I am to admit the mutation of species to any very great amount."