Summary

Explains that his letter had to do with how he should act publicly to Mivart if he retracted. He would not forgive him. If he does not retract, it would no longer be possible to keep him Secretary of the Linnean Society.

Drosophyllum will be sent when weather permits.

Summary

It is splendid how Nepenthes is behaving. Drosera and Dionaea are insignificant by comparison.

Takes rather a malicious pleasure in JDH’s failure with Cephalotus as a match to his with Utricularia.

Summary

His view of Huxley’s cutting Mivart without explanation. States his own intentions. Mivart’s apology in October Quarterly Review is abominable.

Has heard of a Drosophyllum in Edinburgh. Is it too late?

Summary

Is not inclined to restrain himself from expressing his opinion of Mivart. Huxley’s article in Academy.

Summary

Huxley strongly dissuades JDH from writing to Mivart because of his Presidency of Royal Society. JDH will hold his letter until he hears what Bentham says.

Summary

JDH wins over Douglas Galton and Lord Henry Lennox on assistant secretary for himself.

Has called on Murray and told him Quarterly Review had disgraced itself by attacking George and CD.

Summary

Has not heard from Mivart. He is not so good a Christian as JDH and cannot forgive a man for malicious lying merely because he says he is sorry. Does not think Mivart will apologise. Still thinks the simple, most manly thing, is to write to Mivart directly and tell him what he thinks of him.

Summary

Astonished at JDH’s success versus Galton

and his attack on Murray is superb. Has written a formal letter to Mivart enumerating his offences.

Summary

Expresses his gratitude to JDH and Huxley in the Mivart affair. Thinks he should write directly to Mivart, if Mivart does not retract.

Would be glad to have another Drosophyllum.

Summary

Is provoked by trouble he is having writing Insectivorous plants.

Curious case of an unknown form of Glaucium in earth covered with slag for 1400 years.

Summary

Tyndall, T. A. Hirst and Spencer dissuade him from writing to Mivart, but he will let him feel his disapproval.

Summary

Disapproves of Huxley’s article [review of Ernst Haeckel’s Anthropogenie] in Academy [7 (1875): 16–18].

Summary

JDH would be rash not to follow advice of his friends. [CD’s] wife and George oppose his writing to Mivart.

Summary

Has gone over Huxley’s letter, thinks it a model. All must now await developments. If Mivart does not apologise, JDH will write to him.

Summary

Lady Dorothy Nevill is CD’s best chance for Dionaea.

Reports on Belfast meeting of BAAS. Lubbock’s lecture went off admirably. Huxley’s was the magnum opus.

Encloses letter from Mrs Barber on protective coloration of animals.

Summary

Oliver will attend to his letter.

Tells of discovery and rediscovery of Aldrovanda.

Asks what CD thinks of "old Pritchard’s discourse" [C. Pritchard, Natural science and natural religion (1874)]. Does not affect evolution at all. It does affect the rather unprofitable doctrine of materialism.

His plans for the Royal Society Presidential Address.

Summary

Thanks JDH for his and Huxley’s countering of the false attack on George [Darwin] by Mivart. Encloses a note to Mivart on which he asks JDH’s opinion.

Summary

CD’s reaction to review of the Origin [by Samuel Wilberforce] in Quarterly Review [see 2881].