To Henry Fawcett 20 July 1861
Summary
"You could not possibly have told me anything which would have given me more satisfaction than what you say about Mr. Mill’s opinion." [See 2868.]
Author: | Charles Robert Darwin |
Addressee: | Henry Fawcett |
Date: | 20 July 1861 |
Classmark: | Karpeles Manuscript Library Museums |
Letter no: | DCP-LETT-3215A |
To Charles Lyell 6 August [1861]
Summary
Bentham has sent a damaged spurless Orchis pyramidalis; asks CL to send another. Fears they are irregular monsters. [See Orchids, pp. 47–8.]
Author: | Charles Robert Darwin |
Addressee: | Charles Lyell, 1st baronet |
Date: | 6 Aug [1861] |
Classmark: | Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew (Bentham Correspondence, Vol. 3, Daintree–Dyer, 1830–1884, GEB/1/3: f. 698) |
Letter no: | DCP-LETT-3227 |
To Charles Hardy? 4 September [1861]
Summary
Has modified the statements about bees visiting clover for honey in 3d ed. of Origin. Can correspondent find out if clover in Lowestoft district was a second crop?
Author: | Charles Robert Darwin |
Addressee: | Charles Hardy |
Date: | 4 Sept [1861] |
Classmark: | Dawsons of Pall Mall (dealers) (no date) |
Letter no: | DCP-LETT-3244 |
To George Rolleston 5 September [1861]
Summary
GR’s letter is a gold-mine.
Pleased to have Pierre Gratiolet’s comment on the embryology of greatly modified organs
and GR’s valuable cases of analogous variation.
Doubts craniologists, but recounts his father’s opinion that the shape of CD’s head was altered when he returned from the Beagle.
Author: | Charles Robert Darwin |
Addressee: | George Rolleston |
Date: | 5 Sept [1861] |
Classmark: | Royal College of Physicians of London (ALS/D12) |
Letter no: | DCP-LETT-3245 |
To Gardeners’ Chronicle [before 14 September 1861]
Summary
Requests orchid specimens from Arethuseae division for his investigation of the many contrivances by which orchids are fertilised by insect agency.
Asks whether Charles Morren has published on the fertilisation of orchids by insect agency.
Author: | Charles Robert Darwin |
Addressee: | Gardeners’ Chronicle |
Date: | [before 14 Sept 1861] |
Classmark: | Gardeners’ Chronicle and Agricultural Gazette, 14 September 1861, p. 831 |
Letter no: | DCP-LETT-3252 |
To Gardeners’ Chronicle [before 14 September 1861]
Summary
Two correspondents report fertilising Vinca rosea by imitating the action of an insect inserting its proboscis. Another says his Vinca rosea seed profusely without artificial fertilisation. CD asks what might explain the difference in results. In the latter instance, are the plants kept in a greenhouse with windows left open, so that moths could get access at night?
Author: | Charles Robert Darwin |
Addressee: | Gardeners’ Chronicle |
Date: | [before 14 Sept 1861] |
Classmark: | Gardeners’ Chronicle and Agricultural Gazette, 14 September 1861, pp. 831–2 |
Letter no: | DCP-LETT-3253 |
To Daniel Oliver 9 April [1861]
Summary
Asks DO to identify enclosed Fumaria or Corydalis flower, with springing hood adaptation.
Author: | Charles Robert Darwin |
Addressee: | Daniel Oliver |
Date: | 9 Apr [1861] |
Classmark: | DAR 261.10: 6 (EH 88205990) |
Letter no: | DCP-LETT-3499 |
From H. C. Watson 20 September 1861
Summary
The Primula experiments of J. Sidebotham; HCW’s distrust of the results [see J. Sidebotham, "Specific identity of the cowslip and the primrose", Phytologist 3 (1849): 703–5].
Author: | Hewett Cottrell Watson |
Addressee: | Charles Robert Darwin |
Date: | 20 Sept 1861 |
Classmark: | DAR 181: 39 |
Letter no: | DCP-LETT-3258 |
To W. E. Darwin 22 October [1861]
Summary
Tells of a shooting competition at Down.
Has been working hard at orchid drawings with G. B. Sowerby, Jr.
Author: | Charles Robert Darwin |
Addressee: | William Erasmus Darwin |
Date: | 22 Oct [1861] |
Classmark: | DAR 210.6: 80 |
Letter no: | DCP-LETT-3294 |
To Daniel Oliver 22 January [1861]
Summary
Thanks for mentioning J. G. Kurr on nectaries [Untersuchungen über die Bedeutung der Nektarien in den Blumen (1833)]. Requests observations on flowers with curved pistils. Finds they curve toward nectary, thus lying in path of insect.
Author: | Charles Robert Darwin |
Addressee: | Daniel Oliver |
Date: | 22 Jan [1861] |
Classmark: | DAR 261.10: 5 (EH 88205989) |
Letter no: | DCP-LETT-2661 |
To John Lubbock [before 5 February 1861]
Summary
Comments on JL’s paper ["Notes on the generative organs, and on the formation of the egg in the Annulosa", Proc. R. Soc. Lond. 11 (1860–2): 117–24].
Author: | Charles Robert Darwin |
Addressee: | John Lubbock, 4th baronet and 1st Baron Avebury |
Date: | [before 5 Feb 1861] |
Classmark: | DAR 263: 40c (EH 88206451) |
Letter no: | DCP-LETT-3038 |
From Daniel Oliver [before 3 November 1861]
Author: | Daniel Oliver |
Addressee: | Charles Robert Darwin |
Date: | [before Nov 1861] |
Classmark: | DAR 104: 225–6 |
Letter no: | DCP-LETT-3039 |
To James Lamont 25 February [1861]
Summary
Comments on JL’s Seasons with sea-horses [1861]. Thinks JL bold to defend his bear–whale illustration.
Author: | Charles Robert Darwin |
Addressee: | James Lamont, 1st baronet |
Date: | 25 Feb [1861] |
Classmark: | DAR 146: 29 |
Letter no: | DCP-LETT-3071 |
To George Rolleston 2 March [1861]
Summary
Agrees with GR’s remarks on Asa Gray’s pamphlet.
New edition of Origin to appear immediately.
Fact of clubbed fingernails in cyanosis quite new to CD. Asks for information.
Author: | Charles Robert Darwin |
Addressee: | George Rolleston |
Date: | 2 Mar [1861] |
Classmark: | Wellcome Collection (MS.6119/5) |
Letter no: | DCP-LETT-3076 |
From George Maw 15 March 1861
Summary
Asks for a testimonial for Edward Newman.
Discusses the Origin, considers natural selection works well when applied to the evolution of nations and groups of men; on the other hand feels the classification of mineral elements is a damaging analogy as it parallels organic classification but could not be derived by any evolutionary means.
Author: | George Maw |
Addressee: | Charles Robert Darwin |
Date: | 15 Mar 1861 |
Classmark: | DAR 171.1(3): 95 |
Letter no: | DCP-LETT-3089 |
To George Maw 17 March [1861]
Summary
Thanks GM for his excellent criticisms. His observations on the classification of minerals force him to "own that classification may be closely like that due to descent yet have no relation to it".
Asks whether GM has observed any cases of "bud-variations".
Author: | Charles Robert Darwin |
Addressee: | George Maw |
Date: | 17 Mar [1861] |
Classmark: | Royal Horticultural Society, Lindley Library (MAW/1/4) |
Letter no: | DCP-LETT-3090 |
To Gardeners’ Chronicle [before 15 June 1861]
Summary
Reports his experiment with fertilising the large periwinkle (Vinca major), which he had never known to produce seed. He found that the pollen could not reach the stigma without the aid of insects, which in England never visit the flower. CD produced seeds by inserting a fine bristle, like the proboscis of a moth. Asks readers to repeat this experiment with other species that do not habitually seed and to report the result.
Author: | Charles Robert Darwin |
Addressee: | Gardeners’ Chronicle |
Date: | [before 15 June 1861] |
Classmark: | Gardeners’ Chronicle and Agricultural Gazette, 15 June 1861, p. 552 |
Letter no: | DCP-LETT-3182 |
To John Lubbock 9 August [1861]
Summary
JL’s kindness has laid William and himself "under an enduring obligation". One clause in the partnership agreement seems harsh but will probably never signify.
Author: | Charles Robert Darwin |
Addressee: | John Lubbock, 4th baronet and 1st Baron Avebury |
Date: | 9 Aug [1861] |
Classmark: | DAR 263: 48 (EH 88206492) |
Letter no: | DCP-LETT-3228 |
To John Gould 6 October [1861]
Summary
Thanks for JG’s book [An introduction to the Trochilidae, or family of humming-birds (1861)], which he has read carefully. Hopes someday to use the information on the close alliance of species in large genera.
CD repudiates hybridity of birds in nature.
Intends to extract the cases of "races" or doubtful species. They show that "determination of species is not a simple affair".
Author: | Charles Robert Darwin |
Addressee: | John Gould |
Date: | 6 Oct [1861] |
Classmark: | Cambridge University Library (Add 4251/330) |
Letter no: | DCP-LETT-3278 |
To Asa Gray [after 11 October 1861]
Summary
Thanks AG for notes on hollies.
Replies to an argument for design. Feels it monstrous to consider orchids created as they are now seen, since every part reveals modification on modification.
Author: | Charles Robert Darwin |
Addressee: | Asa Gray |
Date: | [after 11 Oct 1861] |
Classmark: | Gray Herbarium of Harvard University (51a) |
Letter no: | DCP-LETT-3283 |
Darwin, C. R. | (62) |
Hooker, J. D. | (56) |
Darwin, W. E. | (17) |
Lubbock, John | (14) |
Lyell, Charles | (14) |
Darwin, C. R. | (373) |
Hooker, J. D. | (59) |
Darwin, W. E. | (18) |
Oliver, Daniel | (17) |
Lyell, Charles | (16) |