Summary

Sends copy of Origin for comments.

Does not feel AG’s views of migration after the last glaciation explain distribution in U. S. as well as CD’s view of migration prior to glaciation.

Summary

Would welcome American edition of Origin.

Summary

Thanks for AG’s Japan memoir [Mem. Am. Acad. Arts & Sci. 6 (1857–9): 377–452]. Does not think AG’s arguments for a warm post-glacial period are sufficient, but will not be sorry to be proved wrong.

Believes natural selection explains many classes of facts which repeated creation does not.

Writes of some responses to the Origin.

Summary

CD has written to Asa Gray criticising J. D. Dana’s arguments for a warm period subsequent to glacial period.

Remembers it is Alphonse de Candolle who states that many species are not true species.

Did Huxley write the excellent review in the Times?

Summary

Has sent off last proof of 2d ed. of Origin. Assumes JM has remembered the diagram. Asks that remaining clean sheets be sent to Asa Gray.

Summary

Asa Gray offers to arrange for reprinting Origin in U. S. CD has told him JM would send sheets of 2d ed. by post.

CD thinks he has good scheme for his "larger work" in three volumes, with separate titles and a general title. Will be two years before first volume is ready because of his health.

Summary

CD’s great satisfaction with JDH’s approval of Origin. The book has been extremely successful. Reactions of Asa Gray, Lyell, Bentham, and J. E. Gray.

Not one friend has noticed his pet bit in Origin: embryology.

Summary

High, detailed praise for introductory essay to Flora Tasmaniae [reprinted as On the flora of Australia (1859)]. CD expects it to convert botanists from doctrine of immutable creation.

Summary

JDH finds style of CD’s MS obscure.

CD wary of JDH’s starting point on variability: it is not inherent, it does not lead necessarily to divergence, and it must be distinguished from inheritance.

Asa Gray has misread CD’s views on pre-glacial migrations and botched the subject.

Summary

Forwards letter from Asa Gray.

Bentham is very agitated by Origin. CD over-emphasises natural selection. His theory accounts for too much and would be improved by unburdening it of natural selection.

Summary

CD favours occurrence of reversions, although lack of experiments forces one to vague opinions. Reversions oppose only the inheritance not the occurrence of variation. Discusses relation of reversion, direct influence of conditions, and selection.

Summary

Will read JDH’s printers’ slips on variation.

CD has been so ill, he wonders whether he will get his book done, though so nearly completed.

Summary

Approves specimen sheet [of Origin]. Sorry book will be so long. Has now written half of last chapter; it is as long as his estimate of the entire chapter. Now thinks it will run to 6000 or 7000 words. Will do his utmost to improve his style. Anxious to publish soon; he knows of two men already writing on the subject, starting from his Linnean Society paper ["On the tendency of species to form varieties", Collected papers 2: 3–19]. Will send a diagram for the book.

Summary

Relieved by Wallace’s letter.

At work on introductory essay to Flora Tasmaniae.

European plants naturalised in Australia are almost all adapted to invading disturbed ground.

JDH supports Asa Gray against Alphonse de Candolle as foreign member of Royal Society.

Summary

Delighted JDH coming to Down. They will discuss Origin. JDH’s remarks that theory explains too much are excellent, yet CD cannot see his error.

Summary

All but last two chapters of Origin proofs corrected.

Praise for JDH’s introductory essay [to Flora Tasmaniae].

Very ill and sick of work.

Summary

Compares Jamaican with British and European honey combs.

Requests one-half dozen dead bees and 2 or 3 drones from Mr Wilkie’s stock.

His admiration for RH’s varied accomplishments and service "in the sacred cause of humanity" [the abolition of slavery].

Asks whether it is believed that domestic animals long bred in Jamaica tend to assume a particular colour or character.

Are differences observed in the West Indies in the liability of pure Europeans of light complexion and hair to take the yellow fever or other tropical complaints?

Summary

Sends Origin to FJP. "I rest my conviction solely on the fact, as it seems to me, that the theory explains large classes of facts otherwise inexplicable." Has made important converts: Lyell, Hooker, Huxley, and W. B. Carpenter.

Summary

Thanks JM for present of McClintock’s work [Sir Francis Leopold McClintock, The voyage of the "Fox" in the Arctic seas (1859)], which he and his wife look forward to reading.

Asks to be told when reprint [of Origin] is ready.

Summary

A copy of CD’s book [Origin] has been sent to ARW; invites his comments. "God knows what the public will think". Hooker believes Lyell is a convert, but CD does not think so, although he is "deeply interested". If he can convert Huxley, CD will be content.