Summary

Comments on CD’s criticism of Geographical distribution.

Plans to sell his house.

Summary

Comments on FD’s discovery – "if it so proves". It will be important to see whether the protoplasm oozes through the cell-walls [of Dipsacus] or whether it can be withdrawn.

Summary

Sends [unidentified] volume for FD.

Ferdinand Cohn is coming to Down.

Summary

Sends autograph.

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Sends his autograph.

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Sends his signature

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Responds to CD’s new work [Cross and self-fertilisation]. Suggests results might have been more convincing if CD had measured weights instead of heights. The fact that infertile hybrids have not been produced means that the "one great objection" has not been got rid of: the physiological characteristic of species. Suggests an experiment to produce "sterile mongrels" which would remove objection.

Summary

Pleased to hear about GHD’s paper at the Royal Society.

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Looks to FD’s "grand discovery" as almost certain. Suggests observations.

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Informs LD of the death of Francis Darwin’s wife, Amy.

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Asks for details of dimorphism in Sethia from Thwaites, Enumeratio plantarum Zeylaniae [1864]. [See Forms of flowers, p. 122.]

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Responds to CD’s comments and criticism of Geographical distribution.

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[Entry describing a Sunday morning call [see 10480a] during which CD witnessed the behaviour of a bullfinch and a canary in eating parts of some primroses and cowslips.]

Summary

Asks FD to write on his behalf and say that he is unwilling to join a deputation [on vivisection] and that he believes in the need to protect physiology as well as lower animals.

Summary

Expresses his pride in FD, whose article ["On the structure of the snail’s heart", J. Anat. Physiol. 10 (1876): 506–10] was highly praised by G. H. Lewes.

Lewes has also been quoting FD’s letter in Nature [13 (1876): 384–5] on pycrotoxine in relation to the vivisection controversy.

Was introduced to James Sully, author of the article in Mind on Wilhelm Wundt ["Physiological psychology in Germany", 1 (1876): 20–43]

and Sensation and intuition (1874) [see 10320], by "Mrs Lewes" (George Eliot).

Summary

Refers him to Nature [14 (1876): 553] in which a Russian doctor [Prof. Poplavsky] contradicts GHD on deaf mutes not being closely interrelated.

Summary

Forwards chapter [of Orchids (1877)] for correction.

Sadness at the death of Amy.

Summary

CD has just had an interview with Edward Frankland, who "almost laughs" at FD’s idea of getting potash and soda out of the soil by treating it with sulphuric acid. Asks FD to send him a soil sample to give to Frankland. Sends enclosures giving address and labels for soil samples.

Summary

Directions for diet and exercise, with psychological counsel.

Summary

Would be honoured to have Cross and self fertilisation translated into French by EH; he has written to his French publisher, Charles-Ferdinand Reinwald.

EH’s notes will add interest and he would like to read them.