Summary

Statement of sales of U. S. edition of Origin.

Summary

Accepts CD’s offer to order books from the Royal Society Library.

VOK asks for information about W. B. Carpenter’s dredging expedition in the Porcupine.

Summary

Could not go up the Niger, as trading steamers are trying to keep their trade in the dark.

Has seen several albinos, but no blushing. Thinks blacks do blush.

Summary

Variation is a much better looking volume than Origin due to quality of paper and binding. Hopes JM will attend to this point in Descent. Printers have sent "splendid lot" of proofs.

Summary

Will order the first set of casts from Murray.

Thanks CD for a book for his wife from the Royal Society Library.

His brother [Alexander] is delighted at being referred to in CD’s work [Descent 1: 205].

Summary

Sends CD proofs of a lecture he will give at Liverpool. Asks CD to check the part referring to him.

Élie de Beaumont’s remark, in which he requires CD to recant before being admitted to the [French] Academy, is intolerable. "This spirit has much to do with the present condition of France."

Summary

CD finds JT’s discourse "grand and most interesting" [On the scientific use of the imagination (1870)]. Flattered by what JT says about him.

He is "a rash man to say a good word for Pangenesis for it has hardly a friend among naturalists".

CD is much struck with what JT says about "pondering" and delighted by his "as if" argument.

Summary

Requests a copy of [Living] Cirripedia to send to his brother, Alexander, who is working in Naples and wishes to verify CD’s discovery of complementary males.

Summary

CD’s deerhound puppy will be ready soon.

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Discusses germination of charlock after a long interval.

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Thanks for Cirripedia. Sorry CD has had to buy the books.

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Many thanks for present of a dog: he will arrange its collection from the train whenit arrives in London.

He is correcting proofs of Descent, and will send GC a copy.

Summary

Reports on the 1870 BAAS meeting at Liverpool. Huxley’s address was over the heads of the laymen.

Tyndall’s was eloquent to listen to, disappointing to read.

George Rolleston’s "Rococo" address [Nature 2 (1870): 423–7, 442–6].

Murchison.

Lyell.

Has done an immense lot of work.

Regrets CD has not kept the simple title "Origin of man" [for Descent].

Summary

Concerning an American edition of Descent by Appleton’s.

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A note to inform CD that ELY has sent his earlier letter [7324] to the Athenaeum, being unsure of CD’s address.

Summary

Outlines the evidence for his view that ascidian larvae are true vertebrates presented in his paper ["Weitere Studien über die Entwicklung der einfachen Ascidien", Arch. Mikrosk. Anat. 7 (1871): 101–302]. CD can cite this as confirmation of AOK’s earlier claims.

Summary

Wants sheets [of Descent] for foreign editions. Asks JM to determine price to be charged for the stereotypes of 62 cuts. Dallas would be excellent for the index but must be "civilly warned" not to delay. Encloses memo on the index.

Summary

Comments on JDH’s report of Liverpool meeting.

Huxley’s address.

Sir Roderick [Murchison]’s "apotheosis".

Tyndall’s lecture is "grand" except for egotistical beginning. Some Frenchmen have pitched into CD for using the "as if" reasoning, which Tyndall shows is justified.

Has just read George Rolleston’s address in Nature.

Anton Dohrn says German public have high opinion of Lyell.

Summary

Various arrangements concerning the publication of Descent. "It will cause men to prick up [their] ears – & to elevate their eyebrows." JM thinks he will venture to print 2500 copies.

Suggests CD tone down as possibly indelicate a passage on proportion of advances made by the two sexes in animals.

Summary

Thanks HS for a copy of his book [? Die Thierzucht (1868)].