Summary

GHD’s corrections seem very good. Murray hopes there will be few corrections in Descent. CD assured him no changes have been made merely for improving style.

Wants very much to hear about "the terrible cousin affair".

Summary

Has not heard from Mivart. He is not so good a Christian as JDH and cannot forgive a man for malicious lying merely because he says he is sorry. Does not think Mivart will apologise. Still thinks the simple, most manly thing, is to write to Mivart directly and tell him what he thinks of him.

Summary

Writes about instructions to compositor and return of proofs [of Descent]. Requests return of 2d volume of Descent, to which he may want to refer.

Summary

An awful row at the Linnean Society. William Carruthers and Co. packed a meeting to throw out a decision of the Council. He was beaten by one vote (more than two-thirds majority needed).

Spent two hours with Lyell talking about Thomas Belt’s book [The naturalist in Nicaragua (1874)]: "the tropical old Glaciers beat the seance I do think".

Lyell agrees that the glacial epoch is the great geological crux of the day. Lowering of the ocean level must also be investigated.

Curious about A. C. Ramsay’s paper coming at Royal Society on 29th ["On the comparative value of certain geological ages", Proc. R. Soc. Lond. 22 (1874): 145–8].

Huxley’s new book [? Critiques and addresses (1873)].

Summary

Thanks for fibrin. Drosera and Pinguicula dissolve it thoroughly.

Summary

Thanks for his Methods of ethics [1874].

Summary

Has no objection to sending GHD’s letter as it is. The only accusation it seems necessary to rebut is about licentiousness. Regrets this is not made more prominent.

Gives some suggestions for GHD’s reply to Mivart’s attack.

Summary

It would be interesting to prove that some plants feed on decayed animal matter whilst others like Drosera can digest fresh animal matter. Suggests the method for observing this.

Summary

FEA has expressed CD’s views on the moral sense with remarkable clearness and correctness; his eulogy is magnificent ["Darwin’s theory of conscience and its relation to scientific ethics", Index 12 Mar 1874]. Cannot give a judgment on the essay because he has had "no practice in following abstract and abstruse reasoning".

CD does not see how morality can be "objective and universal". No one would call the maternal bond in lower animals a "moral obligation". When a social animal "becomes in some slight incipient degree" a moral creature "capable of approving or disapproving of its own conduct" do not such obligations remain of a so-called instinctive nature rather than becoming at once moral obligations?

Summary

CD has never before seen the Utricularia DN has sent. Hooker had told him about it. Asks that her gardener observe young Utricularia: CD is interested in internal structure of little balls on bladders.

Sends photograph.

Summary

Has rewritten paper on leaf arrangement after criticism by Royal Society referees. Has found new factor influencing leaf arrangement, i.e., spontaneous variability in the number of vertical leaf-ranks.

Summary

Interested in TMR’s investigation of drift. Narrative 1: 545–6 contains catalogue of shells collected. Much struck by marine productions of Tierra del Fuego.

Summary

Urges CD not to break with Murray even if he does not force the editor [of Q. Rev.] to insert GHD’s letter [in response to Mivart’s attack]. Murray may have a rule not to meddle with editor.

Summary

Discusses his Anthropogenie [1874]. Remarks on the tables.

Has CD received Friedrich von Hellwald’s Culturgeschichte [1875]?

Plans research trip to the Mediterranean.

Summary

Asks about insects and seeds on leaves of Pinguicula.

Summary

"Half an answer" to CD’s query on visit of Sphinx to Hedychium gardnerianum.

Business affairs and family ill health keep him busy.

G. J. Allman will succeed Bentham as President of Linnean Society. Busk has refused.

Huxley is well.

JDH has indoctrinated Sir Stafford Northcote with his merits.

Lyell frail.

Old J. E. Gray goes on publishing.

"Is not [Thomas] Belt splendid!"

Summary

Regrets he is unable to republish Whitney’s article in the Contemporary Review. Would much appreciate an article from CD on the subject and suggests that CD might quote from Whitney to any extent he likes.

Summary

Thanks AJWW for his frank and generous criticism. [See 9352.] Having viewed all natural objects under the light of natural selection for more than thirty years, CD thinks it unlikely that any arguments short of demonstration can convince him of error.

Summary

Discusses effects of water on movement of insectivorous plants.

Has just found that Pinguicula can digest albumen.

Asa Gray writes that Sarracenia secretes trail of fluid to attract insects [see 9455].

Summary

Discusses effect of atropine solution on eye,

and effect of phosphate of ammonia solution on gland of Drosera.

Would like to see work by T. W. Engelmann and possibly one by Dr De Ruyter.