To Charles Lyell [5 and 7 October 1842]
Summary
Discusses growth of various species of coral. Explains significance of dead reefs.
Describes meeting of the Council of the Geological Society; the controversy involving Edward Charlesworth.
Mentions conversations with William Lonsdale about Lonsdale’s work on corals and the financial support for his work.
Murchison’s views on glaciation in Wales.
Agassiz’s observations at Glen Roy.
Author: | Charles Robert Darwin |
Addressee: | Charles Lyell, 1st baronet |
Date: | 5 and 7 Oct 1842 |
Classmark: | American Philosophical Society (Mss.B.D25.28) |
Letter no: | DCP-LETT-649 |
To Henry Thomas De la Beche 19 August [1847]
Summary
Bernhard Studer has been at Down. Studer will not be able to join HDelaB’s Ordnance Survey working party.
CD is glad to hear about very old rocks under Silurians. "There is something grand and mysterious at these depths."
Author: | Charles Robert Darwin |
Addressee: | Henry Thomas De la Beche |
Date: | 19 Aug [1847] |
Classmark: | National Museum of Wales, Department of Natural Sciences (De la Beche) |
Letter no: | DCP-LETT-1111 |
To J. D. Hooker 19 March [1845]
Summary
Would like to borrow the pamphlet on variation [Frédéric Gérard, "De l’espèce dans les corps organisés" (1844), extract from Dictionnaire universel d’histoire naturelle, ed. C. D. d’Orbigny].
Glad to hear Humboldt’s views on migration. CD believes we cannot "put any limit to the possible and even probable migration of plants".
Wants good book on plant morphology.
Author: | Charles Robert Darwin |
Addressee: | Joseph Dalton Hooker |
Date: | 19 Mar [1845] |
Classmark: | DAR 114: 28 |
Letter no: | DCP-LETT-842 |
To Charles Lyell [3 January 1850]
Summary
Discusses CL’s paper, "On craters of denudation" [Q. J. Geol. Soc. Lond. 6 (1850): 207–34], which "will be a thorn in the side of É[lie] de B[eaumont]". Notes evidence from Galapagos overlooked by CL. Mentions other examples of craters.
Author: | Charles Robert Darwin |
Addressee: | Charles Lyell, 1st baronet |
Date: | [3 Jan 1850] |
Classmark: | American Philosophical Society (Mss.B.D25.90) |
Letter no: | DCP-LETT-1287 |
To John Tyndall 4 February [1857]
Summary
CD is "as ignorant of mechanics as a pig", but glaciers have interested him greatly. Hopes to hear that JT’s experiments with ice will explain the freezing together of ice below the freezing point.
Author: | Charles Robert Darwin |
Addressee: | John Tyndall |
Date: | 4 Feb [1857] |
Classmark: | DAR 261.8: 2 (EH 88205940) |
Letter no: | DCP-LETT-2046 |
From W. E. Darwin [19 February 1871]
Summary
Thanks CD for copy of Descent. Is considering running for School Board.
Author: | William Erasmus Darwin |
Addressee: | Charles Robert Darwin |
Date: | [19 Feb 1871] |
Classmark: | Cornford Family Papers (DAR 275: 39) |
Letter no: | DCP-LETT-7489F |
From Edward Blyth 20 November 1868
Summary
Describes his tour of the Netherlands. Reports on some of the specimens he saw on his trip.
Discusses the coloration of hair in aged monkey
and sexual differences in bird species.
Author: | Edward Blyth |
Addressee: | Charles Robert Darwin |
Date: | 20 Nov 1868 |
Classmark: | DAR 83: 149, DAR 84.1: 137 |
Letter no: | DCP-LETT-6469 |
To Daniel Sharpe [19 January 1847]
Summary
Comments on letter by Bernhard Studer ["Remarks on the geological relations of the gneiss of the Alps", Edinburgh New Philos. J. 42 (1846–7): 186] and on article by DS ["On slaty cleavage", J. Geol. Soc. Lond. 3 (1847): 74–105]. Discusses geological cleavage and foliation.
Author: | Charles Robert Darwin |
Addressee: | Daniel Sharpe |
Date: | [19 Jan 1847] |
Classmark: | The British Library (Add MS 42240: 21–2) |
Letter no: | DCP-LETT-1052 |
To T. H. Huxley 17 January [1857]
Summary
Asks THH question on flow of glaciers after ice has been fractured and fragmented.
CD had to leave Royal Society lecture [joint paper by THH and J. Tyndall, "On the structure and motions of glaciers", Philos. Trans. R. Soc. Lond. 147 (1857): 327–46] before the end because of headache.
Author: | Charles Robert Darwin |
Addressee: | Thomas Henry Huxley |
Date: | 17 Jan [1857] |
Classmark: | DAR 261.8: 1 (EH 88205939) |
Letter no: | DCP-LETT-2041 |
From W. W. Reade 6 November 1870
Summary
W. C. Wells’s theory relating black skin-colour and immunity to malaria may be true. Has seen Negroes come down with fever, but these were generally light in colour.
Author: | William Winwood Reade |
Addressee: | Charles Robert Darwin |
Date: | 6 Nov 1870 |
Classmark: | DAR 176: 40 |
Letter no: | DCP-LETT-7359 |
To J. D. Hooker 8 September [1856]
Summary
Whether or not there should be movement of particles according to Tyndall’s theory of glacial action ["Observations on glaciers", Not. Proc. R. Inst. G. B. 2: 54–8, 441–3].
CD subscribes to H. C. Sorby’s view of gneiss [Edinburgh New Philos. J. 55 (1853): 137–50].
Seed-salting.
Pigeons.
Significant differences in skeletons of domesticated rabbits.
Author: | Charles Robert Darwin |
Addressee: | Joseph Dalton Hooker |
Date: | 8 Sept [1856] |
Classmark: | DAR 114: 176 |
Letter no: | DCP-LETT-1950 |
To Charles Lyell 9 August [1838]
Summary
Comments on receiving copy of Lyell’s Elements [of geology]. Much is new to CD, and he is copying out notes and references.
Criticises geological work of John Phillips.
Describes expedition to Glen Roy, about which he is writing a paper ["Parallel roads of Glen Roy" (1839), Collected papers 1: 87–137].
Enjoys the Athenaeum Club.
Criticises entomological work of F. W. Hope.
Asks Lyell to obtain for him a copy of barometric readings made at Leith.
Asks him to ascertain altitude of several Scottish lochs.
Comments on FitzRoy’s character.
Author: | Charles Robert Darwin |
Addressee: | Charles Lyell, 1st baronet |
Date: | 9 Aug [1838] |
Classmark: | American Philosophical Society (Mss.B.D25.10) |
Letter no: | DCP-LETT-424 |
From J. D. Hooker [23] March 1845
Summary
JDH recommends Augustin de Saint-Hilaire’s Leçons de botanique [1841]. Relates opinions of European botanists on migration and plant distribution.
Author: | Joseph Dalton Hooker |
Addressee: | Charles Robert Darwin |
Date: | [23] Mar 1845 |
Classmark: | DAR 100: 41–2 |
Letter no: | DCP-LETT-844 |
From W. W. Reade 13 February 1872
Summary
Sending sheets of his forthcoming work on Africa [Martyrdom of man (1872)] with views that differ from CD’s on music and sexual selection.
The Pall Mall Gazette will review the new [6th] edition of the Origin, together with Mivart’s Genesis of species [1871].
Author: | William Winwood Reade |
Addressee: | Charles Robert Darwin |
Date: | 13 Feb 1872 |
Classmark: | DAR 176: 52 |
Letter no: | DCP-LETT-8210 |
To Adolf von Morlot 10 October [1844]
Summary
Says AM’s letters on glacial action not publishable since they do not give facts. Suggests readings on the subject of glaciers. Expresses doubts about AM’s theory that Scandinavian glaciers brought the boulders he was studying.
Author: | Charles Robert Darwin |
Addressee: | Charles Adolphe Morlot (Adolph von Morlot) |
Date: | 10 Oct [1844] |
Classmark: | Burgerbibliothek Bern, Bern, Switzerland |
Letter no: | DCP-LETT-780 |
To Charles Lyell 11 February [1857]
Summary
Discusses a proposed expedition to Australia. Urges collecting and investigating productions of isolated islands. Recommends dredging the sea-bottom.
Mentions keeping Helix pomatia alive in sea-water.
Author: | Charles Robert Darwin |
Addressee: | Charles Lyell, 1st baronet |
Date: | 11 Feb [1857] |
Classmark: | American Philosophical Society (Mss.B.D25.145) |
Letter no: | DCP-LETT-2050 |
To W. W. Reade 21 May [1868]
Summary
Thanks WWR for information in answer to his queries concerning expression.
Asks when horns first appear among a breed of sheep on the Guinea coast,
and for information about the gorilla and chimpanzee.
Asks about African ideas of beauty.
Author: | Charles Robert Darwin |
Addressee: | William Winwood Reade |
Date: | 21 May [1868] |
Classmark: | American Philosophical Society (Mss.B.D25.371) |
Letter no: | DCP-LETT-6754 |
From J. D. Hooker 16 September 1873
Summary
Mimosa too far gone to send now.
CD’s marjoram is the common [Origanum] vulgare, not the pot herb.
On the water injury, Thiselton-Dyer and he may have used too fine a spray, but plant is insensitive.
Horribly angry at P. G. Tait’s letter in Nature [8 (1873): 381–2].
Tyndall writes that he is strong – the next number of Nature will prove it.
G. Henslow is much better.
JDH leaves for Bradford [BAAS meeting] tomorrow.
Rejoices at CD’s success with Drosera; longs to be at Nepenthes.
Author: | Joseph Dalton Hooker |
Addressee: | Charles Robert Darwin |
Date: | 16 Sept 1873 |
Classmark: | DAR 103: 162–5 |
Letter no: | DCP-LETT-9057 |
From Asa Gray to J. D. Hooker 5 January 1860
Summary
Opinions on the Origin: AG thinks it masterly; Agassiz considers it very poor.
Author: | Asa Gray |
Addressee: | Joseph Dalton Hooker |
Date: | 5 Jan 1860 |
Classmark: | DAR 98 (ser. 2): 20–1 |
Letter no: | DCP-LETT-2638 |
From T. H. Huxley 26 April 1873
Summary
Concern for Lady Lyell;
will clear away work and set off for holiday in June.
Sends Critiques and addresses.
A life of J. D. Forbes [by J. C. Shairp, P. J. Tait, and A. A. Reilly (1873)] suggests that THH and Tyndall conspired to keep JDF from getting the Copley Medal. THH feels obliged to correct this.
Author: | Thomas Henry Huxley |
Addressee: | Charles Robert Darwin |
Date: | 26 Apr 1873 |
Classmark: | DAR 104: 223–24a |
Letter no: | DCP-LETT-8882 |
letter | (67) |
bibliography | (16) |
people | (5) |
Darwin, C. R. | (44) |
Forbes, David | (8) |
Hooker, J. D. | (4) |
Reade, W. W. | (3) |
Darwin, W. E. | (2) |
Darwin, C. R. | (21) |
Lyell, Charles | (11) |
Hooker, J. D. | (9) |
Forbes, David | (5) |
Forbes, J. D. | (3) |
Darwin, C. R. | (65) |
Forbes, David | (13) |
Hooker, J. D. | (13) |
Lyell, Charles | (12) |
Huxley, T. H. | (4) |