Darwin, C. R. to Gaudry, A. J.
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Is much obliged for AG's two memoirs ["Mémoire sur le reptile découvert par M. Frossard", Nouv. Arch. Mus. Hist. Nat. 3 (1867): 21–40; Bull. Soc. Géol. France 2d ser. 24 (1867): 397–400].
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All "inosculating forms" are very interesting to CD.
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Agrees with AG on the importance of attempts to affiliate extinct and existing species.
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Will send French edition of Variation when published.
Summary Add
Transcription
Down. | Bromley. | Kent. S.E.
May 27
Dear Sir
I am much obliged for your kind letter, & for the present of your two memoirs.
The one in the Bulletin I sh
I have been very glad to read this latter paper, as all inosculating forms are very interesting to me. I quite agree with what you say on the extreme interest of attempting to affiliate extinct & existing Species.
With your great knowledge you will no doubt produce some valuable results, & I feel well convinced that in the course of time the most interesting genealogical tables will be constructed. I am aware that there are very few naturalists in France who at all concur with our views & therefore I presume you will meet with much opposition.
I am at present printing a book ``on the variation of animals & plants under
domestication''; which will I believe be translated into French, & in this case
I will direct the publisher to send you a copy, though I do not suppose it will possess
much interest for you. I am much obliged for y
With very sincere respect | I beg leave to remain | Dear Sir | yours very faithfully | Charles Darwin
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- f1 5554.f1
The year is established by the relationship between this letter and the letter from Albert Gaudry, 22 May 1867. - +
- f2 5554.f2
Gaudry had sent an offprint from the Nouvelles Archives du Muséum d'Histoire Naturelle of his `Mémoire sur le reptile (Pleuracanthus Frossardi) découvert par M. Frossard à Muse' (Gaudry 1867a); see letter from Albert Gaudry, 22 May 1867. The other paper has not been found in the Darwin Pamphlet Collection--CUL. Gaudry published a note on the fossil reptile in the Bulletin de la Société Geologique de France in 1867 (Gaudry 1867b). - +
- f3 5554.f3
See letter from Albert Gaudry, 22 May 1867 and n. 4. Inosculate: `to pass into; to join or unite so as to become continuous; to blend' (OED). See also Correspondence vol. 1, letter to J. S. Henslow, [c. 26 October--] 24 November [1832] and n. 8. - +
- f4 5554.f4
On the reception of CD's theory in France, see Stebbins 1988 and J. Harvey 1997. See also letter from Camille Dareste, 19 May 1867 and n. 8. - +
- f5 5554.f5
CD refers to Variation. A translation by Jean Jacques Moulinié appeared in 1868 (Moulinié trans. 1868); Gaudry thanked CD for his copy in a letter to CD of 11 April 1868 (Correspondence vol. 16).