skip to content

Darwin Correspondence Project

To J. D. Hooker   [26 May 1859]

Moor Park

Thursday

My dear Hooker

I write one word to say that I shall return on Saturday,1 & if you have any proof-sheets to send I shall be glad to do my best in any criticisms.—2 I had bad vomiting before starting & great prostration of mind & body; but entire rest & the douche & Adam Bede have together done me a world of good—3

Have you seen the last Vol. of Cybele:4 I have read a portion with great interest.—5

Ever yours | C. Darwin

Footnotes

CD returned to Down on Saturday, 28 May 1859 (‘Journal’; Appendix II).
CD refers to proof-sheets of Hooker 1859.
Eliot 1859. CD recorded Adam Bede along with other novels in his reading notebook in July 1859 (Correspondence vol. 4, Appendix IV, 128: 25). He considered it ‘excellent’.
An advance copy of the fourth volume of Watson 1847–59, which was published in July 1859 (Publishers’ Circular, 16 July 1859, p. 336). See also letter from H. C. Watson, 3 January 1858. CD’s annotated copy, inscribed by Hewett Cottrell Watson, is in the Darwin Library–CUL.
In the second chapter, Watson discussed his own belief in the transmutation of species (Watson 1847–59, 4: 52–64). At the end of the volume, Watson mentioned CD’s work on ‘the mode in which varieties may supplant their ancestral species’, a reference to Darwin and Wallace 1858, and stated that he might have changed some of his comments had CD published earlier (Watson 1847–59,4: 524–5). Pinned to the end-paper of CD’s copy of volume four is a note by CD that evidently formed the basis of a letter to Watson that has not been found. The note reads: Forbes I quite agree Alpine & several of glacial sea-shells only good points.— You always write with such vigour & spirit that I am carried along with you even dryest parts.—‘ie. [illeg]’ Reconvertibility Value of Groups, very good; I was so glad to see you praise Benthams paper [Bentham 1857].— p. 62 curious coincidence in idea with what I have written I am glad you praise Alph. D. C. CD refers to Watson 1847–59, 4: 7–9, 20, 27, 62, 524.

Bibliography

Correspondence: The correspondence of Charles Darwin. Edited by Frederick Burkhardt et al. 29 vols to date. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. 1985–.

Eliot, George. 1859. Adam Bede. 3 vols. Edinburgh: William Blackwood.

Watson, Hewett Cottrell. 1847–59. Cybele Britannica; or British plants and their geographical relations. 4 vols. London: Longman.

Summary

Returning from Moor Park. CD will take up proofs of JDH’s Flora Tasmaniae.

Letter details

Letter no.
DCP-LETT-2464
From
Charles Robert Darwin
To
Joseph Dalton Hooker
Sent from
Moor Park
Source of text
DAR 115: 17
Physical description
ALS 2pp

Please cite as

Darwin Correspondence Project, “Letter no. 2464,” accessed on 10 October 2024, https://www.darwinproject.ac.uk/letter/?docId=letters/DCP-LETT-2464.xml

Also published in The Correspondence of Charles Darwin, vol. 7

letter