Summary

AG’s review of Joseph Cook ["Lectures on biology", New Englander 37: 100–13].

Encourages CD to work at heliotropism.

Thinks Thomas Meehan is as "rattle-brained" as Joseph Cook.

[A damaged fragment cut from this letter is pinned to 11051.]

Summary

Requests seeds for study of movement in cotyledons. Would love to study Welwitschia cotyledons.

Son William is to be married 28 November.

Summary

Sends family news;

describes what remains of his "menagerie" and tells of his interest in the framework of his son’s German badger-hound.

Summary

CD and Frank working hard on cotyledonary movement.

CD suggests technique for growing Welwitschia.

Approves of J. D. Dana and of O. Heer.

Summary

Congratulates CD on his birthday.

WDF has been suffering from bronchitis.

Summary

JDH has just returned from U. S., where he worked on N. American geographical distribution with Asa Gray.

Summary

Hopes CD got telegram about Convolvulus. Is measuring plants every four hours. Will go to Brittany by boat from Southampton on Monday night.

Summary

He has been working hard at Kew for two days.

Summary

A big book arrived for GHD before CD left Down. Hopes it is Thomson and Tait [Treatise on natural philosophy, 2 vols., 2d ed. (1869)]. It shows what they think of GHD.

Thinks it grand if GHD has made a correction about "such an old sinner as the Sun" and hopes his arithmetic on his old subject will turn out right.

Summary

Thanks for account of Fuegians

and news about old "Beaglers".

Has been reading A. A. Brassey [Around the world in the yacht "Sunbeam" (1878)].

Summary

Thanks CD for present of £300.

Summary

Sends "Ginger Beer Plant", a seed that assists the fermentation of ginger beer. [Also enclosed are instructions for making ginger beer dated, presumably erroneously, 18 Oct 1881.]

Summary

Returns [unspecified] enclosure.

Summary

Thanks CD for his condolences. Reminisces about their youth.

On the death of his naturalist friend, W. C. Hewitson.

Summary

Comments on the sudden death of Chauncey Wright.

Summary

Birthday greetings.

Thinks it best not to reply further to Butler. Has read G. J. Romanes’ article with great pleasure. Romanes is right to ridicule Butler. Quotes passages about Butler from CD letters. Has received letter from F. M. Balfour urging him not to reply to Butler.

Summary

CD’s portrait at exhibition is praised by critics. CD and the Prime Minister may boast of having been in their day "the best abused men in England".

Summary

On reception of Descent in Edinburgh.

Anecdote about a dog helping another by separating combatants.

Summary

Sends CD a German pamphlet, "War Goethe ein Darwinianer?"

Summary

Letter enclosing decree from the Accademia dei Lincei, with signatures dated 2 and 16 July 1875.