From Asa Gray 6 March 1877
Herbarium of Harvard University, | Botanic Garden, Cambridge, Mass.
March 6 1877
Dear Darwin
I am very thankful for the new Orchid-Book, just received from Murray.1 But still, if it can be spared from the oversheets, I wish Murray would make up for me the title-form, which I never received, and which would complete the copy you sent me in sheets
I should have “eviscerated” this book too for Silliman’s Journal, if I had the title-page, and if I was not too crowded with my Fl. N. America work.2
You are quite wrong in saying I have taken all good out of the X Fert. book.3 On the contrary, I was reproaching myself for leaving so much untouched
But my object in writing this line, is to say that only yesterday, my good wife, in calling upon the Norton’s, was told by Madame Norton of the sad bereavement in your family last autumn.4 They supposed we knew of it. But Hooker was too much occupied in the happy rehabilitation of his own family to remember to tell me.5 My good wife—who remembers you all with undiminished affection—desires to send, with mine, sincerest sympathy.
In haste, as ever, | Yours | A. Gray
Footnotes
Bibliography
Correspondence: The correspondence of Charles Darwin. Edited by Frederick Burkhardt et al. 29 vols to date. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. 1985–.
Cross and self fertilisation: The effects of cross and self fertilisation in the vegetable kingdom. By Charles Darwin. London: John Murray. 1876.
Gray, Asa. 1878–84. Synoptical flora of North America. 2 vols. New York: Ivison, Blakeman, Taylor & Co.
Orchids 2d ed.: The various contrivances by which orchids are fertilised by insects. By Charles Darwin. 2d edition, revised. London: John Murray. 1877.
Summary
Thanks for Orchids [2d ed.].
Does not feel his abstract of Cross and self-fertilisation [Am. J. Sci. 3d ser. 13 (1877): 125–41] was thorough enough.
Has heard of their sad bereavement last autumn [death of Amy, wife of Francis Darwin].
Letter details
- Letter no.
- DCP-LETT-10880
- From
- Asa Gray
- To
- Charles Robert Darwin
- Sent from
- Herbarium of Harvard
- Source of text
- DAR 165: 194
- Physical description
- ALS 3pp
Please cite as
Darwin Correspondence Project, “Letter no. 10880,” accessed on 24 April 2024, https://www.darwinproject.ac.uk/letter/?docId=letters/DCP-LETT-10880.xml