Summary

Francis wants a copy of a book on "Shakespeare’s merry tales" to present to a friend in Würzburg.

Summary

Frank [Darwin] has found a Trifolium remarkable for "bloom", but it was not in flower. If GHD knows where it grows, could he dig up the whole plant?

Summary

Has arranged a trip to the U. S. with Cambridge friends; believes it would be much jollier if Frank could go too.

Summary

CD thinks nothing had better be done about the deeds at present.

Henrietta thinks Erasmus Darwin almost too dull to publish.

Summary

Asks for sketches of [Thalia] pistil, in which he is much interested.

Summary

Encloses William Thomson’s report on GHD’s paper. Some of it was written in Rayleigh’s hand.

Summary

Asks CD’s advice on how to answer a letter requesting his endorsement of Wrigley, his former teacher at Clapham School.

Summary

Has nearly finished his mathematical paper.

Is not sure when he will go to Patterdale.

Summary

Further comments on GHD’s work on the influence of geological changes on the earth’s axis.

Frank [Francis Darwin] has made a fine zoological discovery.

Summary

Has sent a copy [of his article on cousin marriage] to Hermann Müller.

Problem he is now working on is a tough nut: "It does not do what [James Clerk] Maxwell said it wd or ought to do".

Summary

Thanks CD [for his increased allowance?].

Writes of his tour [in Algeria].

Summary

Writes to say that the point on which he thought GHD’s drawings were mistaken proves to be an error in his own observation.

Summary

Asks GHD whether he can tell him what inclination a polished or waxy leaf ought to hold to the horizon in order to let vertical rain rebound off as much as possible.

Summary

Greatly excited by the astronomical implications of his work.

Summary

Rejoices that "Lagrange’s case does not seem very bad".

CD is working hard at dissecting Thalia. Has recovered some handiness with microscope.

Summary

Recounts the experiments on Fechner’s law he has found in Helmholz; they are on the smallest perceptible differences of illumination. Describes how to test whether plants’ responses to lights are in accordance with it.

Summary

Discusses GHD’s genealogical researches

and his health.

Summary

His paper on the alterations of the poles and changes in level of continents is in shape.

Sends Cambridge news.

Summary

Writes about their new billiard table.

Summary

A big book arrived for GHD before CD left Down. Hopes it is Thomson and Tait [Treatise on natural philosophy, 2 vols., 2d ed. (1869)]. It shows what they think of GHD.

Thinks it grand if GHD has made a correction about "such an old sinner as the Sun" and hopes his arithmetic on his old subject will turn out right.