To J. D. Hooker 5 July [1871]
Down, | Beckenham, Kent.
July 5th
My dear Hooker
I not only have not the Gazania, but was innocent of knowing there was an aquatic species.—1 I have no evidence about Lyell, except appearance & sound of voice. Mrs. Lyell, however, said his mouth was decidedly drawn. to one side at first, & I could see that Lady L. became very anxious about him, when he became excited in talking geology with me, from which I inferred that medical men had cautioned her.—2 I heard from Huxley this morning & I find that he takes same view of Lyell with me.—3 I cd. see no difference in his mind, but he says he cannot stand labour of composition.
Thanks for your news about yourself, & especially for your promise to come here when you can.—4 I have just been quoting your moraines on the Atlas in a new Edit. of that confounded old Origin, which I am preparing, & in which I shall try & answer chief points in Mivart.5 This has stopped my Expression Essay. By the way I suppose none of your party observed anything for me on this Head?6
Also did you by any chance notice whether in Ophrys apifera in N. Africa the pollen-masses fall on the stigma, as with us?—7
We have house full of visitors &, I have no more time,8 so farewell | C. Darwin
Footnotes
Bibliography
Expression: The expression of the emotions in man and animals. By Charles Darwin. London: John Murray. 1872.
Orchids 2d ed.: The various contrivances by which orchids are fertilised by insects. By Charles Darwin. 2d edition, revised. London: John Murray. 1877.
Orchids: On the various contrivances by which British and foreign orchids are fertilised by insects, and on the good effects of intercrossing. By Charles Darwin. London: John Murray. 1862.
Origin 6th ed.: The origin of species by means of natural selection, or the preservation of favoured races in the struggle for life. 6th edition, with additions and corrections. By Charles Darwin. London: John Murray. 1872.
Origin: On the origin of species by means of natural selection, or the preservation of favoured races in the struggle for life. By Charles Darwin. London: John Murray. 1859.
Summary
Lady Lyell’s anxiety over Lyell’s health.
Preparing new edition of Origin.
Asks whether anything was observed [in Morocco] on expressions.
Did JDH notice whether pollen-masses in Ophrys apifera in N. Africa fall on the stigma, as in England?
Letter details
- Letter no.
- DCP-LETT-7850
- From
- Charles Robert Darwin
- To
- Joseph Dalton Hooker
- Sent from
- Down
- Source of text
- DAR 94: 197–8
- Physical description
- ALS 3pp
Please cite as
Darwin Correspondence Project, “Letter no. 7850,” accessed on 24 April 2024, https://www.darwinproject.ac.uk/letter/?docId=letters/DCP-LETT-7850.xml
Also published in The Correspondence of Charles Darwin, vol. 19