My Dear Darwin,

I am delighted to hear, in various ways, such good accounts of your health. Esto perpetua!¹ But take capital care of yourself.

I should have earlier replied to yours of 25^th May.² But the Appleton’s do not behave well.³ I wrote them on receiving your letter, June 9. They waited till 18^th. to reply, as enclosed.⁴ I wrote back to tell them that I had received no sheets yet—which was true (I have since received up to p. 192);⁵ but urged the impracticability of altering the plates, and your aversion to that, so that would be unjust to you.— Said we wanted now a neat & permanent library edition.—⁶

No reply to that yet. But yesterday I wrote saying I now had some sheets, and asked if I should send them, Or, if they thought it not worth while to reprint, if they would object to my offering the sheets to some other publisher.

I think it likely they will play dog in the manger ⁷—for which part they have advantages,—as they might reprint your additions and issue with their old stereotype pages, without regard to appearance or decency, and so spoil the venture of any other publisher. At least the fear of it might deter any other publisher   We shall soon see if I do them injustice.

So there is war on the continent;⁸—really a war “for Empire”—as Lord Russell said our war was.⁹ Now our war was a simple necessity; this continental one a crime, in which all parties participate. I wish, but no not expect, Prussia to be crushed as one result. I wish all her coast could be annexed to Denmark! However, it is no affair of ours,—being on the other side of the Atlantic. And when a nation can get strength and power by robbery, it will be likely to rob.

Ever Yours | A. Gray

[Notes by A.G. on verso of cover]¹⁰

Passiflora acerifolia is active—

Temp. 88°–92°.— tentril 5$\frac{1}{2}$ inches long. You can plainly see the motion of revolution through the quicker part of circle readily; in one case the point moved 45° in a minute, (4 inches) but that was in straightening, after the base had been moving faster than the upper part. Full revolutions made 40^’ (including 7^’ lost by a going backwards) in 45^’, in 38 h, in 46^’, and now $\frac{1}{2}$ a revolution in 15^’.¹¹

A.G. July 3.