From G. J. Romanes 4 September [1881]1
Garvock, Bridge of Earn, Perthshire:
September 4.
My dear Mr. Darwin,—
I hasten to relieve your mind about writing on vivisection, as I am sure that none of the physiologists would desire you to do so if you feel it a bother.2 After all, there are plenty of other men to do the writing, and if some of them quote the marked sentences in your letter (which I return), with the statement that you still adhere to them, the chief thing will be done—viz. showing again and emphatically on which side you are.3
It is not intended to call the article a ‘Symposium.’ I only used this word to show that they are to be of the same composite kind as those which the ‘Nineteenth Century’ previously published under this designation.4
Your letter gives me the first news of your brother’s death.5 I remember very well seeing him one day when I called on you at his house. It must make you very sad, and I am sorry to have written you at such a time.
I have already sent in a short review of Roux’s book, but should like to see about the bees in ‘Kosmos.’6 I am trying some experiments with bees here on way-finding; but, contrary to my expectations, I find that most bees, when marked and liberated at one hundred yards from their hive, do not get back for a long time. This fact makes it more difficult to test their mode of way-finding, as the faculty (whatever it is) does not seem to be certain.7
Many thanks for sending me the book on Worms so early.8 As yet I have only had time to look at the table of contents, which seems most interesting.
Lockyer is staying here just now, and has given me the proofs of his book. It seems to me that he has quite carried the position as to the elements being products of development.9
Footnotes
Bibliography
Earthworms: The formation of vegetable mould through the action of worms: with observations on their habits. By Charles Darwin. London: John Murray. 1881.
Lockyer, Joseph Norman. 1881. Solar physics: chemistry of the sun. Nature, 21 July 1881, pp. 267–74; 28 July 1881, pp. 296–301; 4 August 1881, pp. 315–24; 18 August 1881, 365–70; 25 August 1881, pp. 391–9.
Lockyer, Joseph Norman. 1887. The chemistry of the sun. London and New York: Macmillan and Co.
Romanes, George John. 1882a. Animal intelligence. International Scientific Series, vol. 41. London: Kegan Paul, Trench, & Co.
Roux, Wilhelm. 1881. Der Kampf der Theile im Organismus. Ein Beitrag zur Vervollständigung der mechanischen Zweckmässigkeitslehre. Leipzig: Verlag von Wilhelm Engelmann.
Summary
Not intended to call vivisection article a symposium [Nineteenth Century 10 (1881): 920–48].
Sympathy on death of Erasmus Darwin.
Trying some experiments with bees to test their direction-finding methods.
Letter details
- Letter no.
- DCP-LETT-13317
- From
- George John Romanes
- To
- Charles Robert Darwin
- Sent from
- Garvock
- Source of text
- E. D. Romanes 1896, p. 125
Please cite as
Darwin Correspondence Project, “Letter no. 13317,” accessed on 24 April 2024, https://www.darwinproject.ac.uk/letter/?docId=letters/DCP-LETT-13317.xml