Summary

Thanks BvC for his letter and will read the references concerning instinct.

"I can see that the discussion of the Philosophy of Evolution is at present very important."

Summary

Answers CD’s letter [7560], on points of agreement between them, the chief one being the sympathy which man has with his fellows. Disagrees however with CD’s "principle" of the painful feelings of dissatisfied instinct.

Summary

Sends about 15 sheets on instinct from his book [A philosophical treatise on the nature and constitution of man (1876)] for CD’s comments.

Summary

Expresses pleasure and relief at ARW’s response to joint publication of their pieces about natural selection.

Plans for the "abstract" [Origin].

Birds’ nests as evidence of variation of instincts.

Their collection of bees’ combs.

Praises ARW’s article.

Lyell’s and Hooker’s views [of species issue].

Summary

Writes about AHF’s book on Swiss ants.

Recounts his own observations on ants carrying cocoons.

Summary

Acknowledges CD’s approval of his review of Origin in Revue Germanique [16 (1861): 523–59; 17 (1861): 232–63]. Praises natural selection;

criticises C.-A. Royer’s [French] translation.

Summary

Thanks JSH for his address [Address delivered in the Ipswich Museum on 9th March 1848]. Questions a sentence which implies that only the practical use of a scientific discovery makes it worth while. The instinct for truth justifies science without any practical results. Cites his work on cirripedes.

Summary

Reports information sent by E. Schulte [12254] on the colours of the male Diadema bolina.

Discusses extent to which consciousness came into play in the origin of certain instincts, including sexual display.

Summary

Thanks for CD’s comments on his paper ["On a point relating to brain dynamics", Nature 22 (1880): 29–30].

Contends that self-interest as a motive for conduct is more salutary than is generally thought, and should be considered in the evolution of morality.

Summary

Discusses three "laws of race preservation" which are evolving: (1) natural selection; (2) the sociological law of sympathetic selection, or indiscriminate survival; (3) moral law – social selection or the "Birth of the Fittest".

Summary

SB’s book [Life and habit (1878)] will be bound shortly. He will send two copies, one of which can be given to CD. To SB’s surprise it has turned out to be an attack on CD’s views and a defence of Lamarck; describes how he was brought to the opinions expressed in it.

Summary

Sends a copy of his Souvenirs entomologiques [1879].

Summary

Obliged for JW’s information on variability of size of bees’ cells. Hexagonal cells not always work of several insects. W. H. Miller found great variability in thickness of cell walls.

Summary

Remarks about an enclosed specimen,

and extract of letter from W. A. L. Marshall [8560].

ARW’s good review of J. C. Houzeau de Lehaie [Études sur les facultés mentales des animaux, in Nature 6 (1872): 469–71].

Summary

Describes difficulty of obtaining pigs for experiment.

Summary

Accepts PLS’s offer to read proofs of [Descent].

W. H. Hudson’s paper is interesting.

Summary

Origin reviews. Is annoyed at Richard Owen’s malignity [Edinburgh Rev. 111 (1860): 487–532].

Summary

JDH has confirmed CD’s opinion on the affinities of species in great genera. Is looking at large genera in several local Floras to find the "range & commonness of varying species".

Has been "beyond measure interested" in the construction instincts of the hive-bee.