Summary

Chauncey Wright’s review of Origin: A. Gray asks that THH append a list of philosophical books on subject if he accepts it for Natural History Review.

Sends Gray’s pamphlet of his (republished) reviews [Natural selection not inconsistent with natural theology (1861)] for notice.

Summary

Comments on AG’s memoir on Japanese plants [see 2599]; relationship of Japanese flora to N. American.

Summary

Encourages DO to publish his paper and put his name to it. [Paper apparently not published.] Concurs with his views on primordial nature of hermaphroditism.

Summary

Asks to have copy of Origin [6th ed.] sent to the Pall Mall Gazette for review with Mivart’s Genesis [of species (1871)].

Summary

Discusses WED’s observations on polymorphic flowers.

Summary

Delighted at CD’s praise of his book [Prehistoric times (1865)].

Summary

CD confesses his error with respect to the cause of the scarcity of holly berries. It appears that several causes in combination have led to it. CD still believes rarity of bees played a part, though a subordinate one.

Summary

Approves specimen sheet [of Origin]. Sorry book will be so long. Has now written half of last chapter; it is as long as his estimate of the entire chapter. Now thinks it will run to 6000 or 7000 words. Will do his utmost to improve his style. Anxious to publish soon; he knows of two men already writing on the subject, starting from his Linnean Society paper ["On the tendency of species to form varieties", Collected papers 2: 3–19]. Will send a diagram for the book.

Summary

He is getting some of the Heracleum seed sowed and the Cycas planted. Does CD want anything done with the potatoes sent by James Torbitt?

Summary

Pleased that Bentham is cautious about Naudin’s view of reversion. CD can show experimentally that crossing of races and species tends to bring back ancient characters.

Suggests Gärtner’s Bastarderzeugung [1849] be translated

and that Oliver review Scott’s Primula paper [J. Linn. Soc. Lond. (Bot.) 8 (1865): 78–126] for a future issue of Natural History Review.

Is working on Variation.

Summary

CD describes his experiments on the effects on germination of the immersion of seeds in sea-water. Hopes to throw light on the distribution of plants. Asks readers of Gardeners’ Chronicle to inform him whether such experiments have already been tried and what class or species of seeds they suppose would be particularly liable to be killed by sea-water.

Summary

Thinks it would be a good idea to give the typing machine to Karl Semper.

Summary

Sends copy of Origin for comments.

Does not feel AG’s views of migration after the last glaciation explain distribution in U. S. as well as CD’s view of migration prior to glaciation.

Summary

Has heard about but not read Origin; is concerned that it may contribute to unbelief. Gives many pages of scriptural quotations and exegesis on the creation of earth, species, etc.

Summary

Hopes CD will finish and bring out his book on variation.

AG will publish extracts of H. W. Bates’s paper on mimetic analogy [Am. J. Sci. 2d ser. 36 (1863): 279–94].

Summary

Admires FJW’s article ["The boundaries of science", Macmillan’s Mag. 4 (1861): 237–47]. Thinks she understands his book [Origin] perfectly.

On design in nature: the more CD thinks on the subject the less he can see proof of it.