Summary

Anticipates that all their differences are fated to find expression in projected book on man.

Offers his early MS with useful references related to the distribution of animals. Hopes ARW’s book will not be "little".

Summary

Further comments on arrangements for German translation of their joint paper.

Summary

Hopes ARW has not "murdered too completely your own and my child" [natural selection] in his Quarterly Review article ["Sir Charles Lyell on geological climates and the Origin", 126 (1869): 359–94] on Lyell’s Principles [10th ed.].

CD is attributing more significance to useless variability in new [5th] edition of Origin.

Summary

On butterfly scales: there are many secondary characters which baffle conjecture.

Was forced to make additions to Origin as short as possible.

Summary

Response to letter about dedication of Malay Archipelago and several scientific papers.

Changes in 5th ed. of Origin.

Now feels individual differences of paramount importance. Fleeming Jenkin has convinced him about "single variations".

Summary

Reception of ARW’s book, Malay Archipelago.

Summary

ARW’s review of 10th ed. of Lyell’s Principles [see 6684] is admirable.

But he differs "grievously" with ARW on man. CD sees no necessity for an additional and proximate cause.

Summary

CD expressed himself badly. F. Jenkin’s argument was against single variations ever being perpetuated.

Summary

Comments on Wallace’s Malay Archipelago.

Summary

On his Primula paper for the Linnean Society ["On the specific difference between Primula veris, Brit. Fl. (var. officialis, Linn.), P. vulgaris, Brit. Fl. var. acaulis, Linn.), and P. elatior, Jacq.; and on the hybrid nature of the common oxlip; with supplementary remarks on naturally produced hybrids of the genus Verbascum", [officinalis!?] J. Linn. Soc. Lond. (Bot.) 10 (1869): 437–54].

Peacocks and sexual selection.

ARW’s sterility argument has driven CD’s sons half-mad.

Summary

Response to ARW’s MS on geological time ["The measurement of geological time", Nature 1 (1870): 399–401, 452–5].

Groans over [what is said about] man.

Summary

Thanks for a woodcut sent by ARW for Descent.

Congratulations on his removal from London,

and praise of his review of Francis Galton ["Hereditary genius", Nature 1 (1870): 501–3]. CD agrees with every word of it.

Summary

Detailed response to reading of Bastian’s Beginnings of life [1872]. On the whole, it seems probable to CD that spontaneous generation is true.

Summary

Sexual selection, protection.

Summary

Sends 6th ed. of Origin;

draws attention to his criticism of ARW’s estimate of Kovalevsky;

mentions his disagreement with much of Spencer’s doctrine

and in a postscript points out an inaccuracy in an article in Once a Month.

Summary

Reports long preparation of work on how species and varieties differ. Agreement with Wallace’s conclusions as reported in Annals and Magazine of Natural History and in his letter to CD of 10 0ct [1856]. On distinction between domestic varieties and those in "a state of nature".

On mating of jaguars and leopards, the breeding of poultry, pigeons, etc.

Requests help for his experimenting on means of distribution of organic beings on oceanic islands.

Summary

Admires ARW’s "Theory of birds’ nests" [J. Travel & Nat. Hist. 1 (1868): 73].

Discusses their respective views on birds’ nests, sexual selection, and protection.

Asks why, if brilliant colours of female butterflies are result of protective mimicry, do not males become equally brilliant? CD believes variation in females alone accounts for it, rather than protection.

Summary

Requests advice about Chauncey Wright’s article on Mivart’s Genesis of species [North Am. Rev. 113 (1871): 64–103]. CD thinks of publishing it as a pamphlet to counter impact of Mivart’s criticism of natural selection.

Summary

CD is allowing his family to decide whether Chauncey Wright’s paper on Mivart is dull.

Health and despondency.

Doubts his ability to answer Mivart successfully [in 6th ed. of Origin].

Summary

The problem of dimorphic plants and their fertility.