Summary

Wonders whether Lord Derby would advance him the money to continue his work.

Summary

Lord Derby was pleased by CD’s warm and genuine expression of approval [of his support of Vivisection Bill? see 9933].

Summary

Agrees that CD should write to Lord Derby to say that a bill on animal experimentation was being prepared and that the government should not comment at this stage. [See 9933.] Ridicules the idea of using inspectors. Distinguishes between dissection and vivisection.

Summary

Asks whether CD will forward enclosed to Lord Derby, and offers to send him a copy of the New York state survey. Will go to Beaulieu in the early autumn. Tells story about gallenes raised by hens being attacked.

Summary

Discusses the best means of presenting the draft bill about animal experimentation. Suggests that CD inform Lord Derby that scientific men concurred with the bill that had been prepared. [See 9923.]

Summary

Sends CD petition from Olmstead and asks him to forward it around to get good signatures.

Summary

Thanks for the copy of Orchids.

Summary

Will soon manage to go to Beaulieu. Is glad the book is going off well. Is thinking of going to the Roman Villa at Brading on the Isle of Wight.

Summary

Gives extracts from a letter by Thomas Hutton.

Rabbits are kept (generally by Europeans) in the NW. provinces and breed freely. Canaries are not well adapted to the climate. Reports on domestic cats and pigeons of the area. EB gives references to further information on cats, pigeons, and silkworms.

[CD’s notes are an abstract of this letter.]

Summary

Expects the memorial to make Gladstone frantic. Government regrets granting Lord Derby the correspondence and Lubbock has been advised to postpone calling for it in Lower House. This looks fishy. Is exhausted by the affair.

Summary

The die is cast on Ayrton affair. Lord Derby has called for all of the correspondence, as a result of pressure by men of science on JDH’s behalf.

Has just had a Greenland collection, which supports his views altogether; "I am ready to do fight for these with you."

Summary

Sackville Cecil would like to be present with Francis Galton at one of William Crookes’s séances. Can CD arrange it?

Summary

Huxley has written to accept gift of Rich’s house.

Approves of Lord Derby’s politics.

Summary

Offers CD same payment for the 3d issue of Descent as for 2d.

Has bespoke four better drawings of birds in case a 4th issue is needed.

Vanity Fair wants CD’s portrait by Carlo Pellegrini ["Ape"].

Summary

Thanks CD for telling her "such exact truth". She saw Thomas Carlyle at Keston – the country air has done him good – "he is half sorry to have been so unsociable on his first arrival".

Summary

Count Schouvaloff asserts that CD’s works are prohibited in Russia. Is he not mistaken?

Summary

Origin of domestic varieties. EB ascribes "abnormal" variations to man’s propagation of casual monstrosities; believes "normal" variations, e.g. European races of cattle, are a consequence of man’s selecting the choicest specimens. Gives examples of "abnormal" variations; they give rise to features that have no counterpart among possible wild progenitors. Divides domestic animals into those whose origin is known and those whose origin is unknown. Considers that the wild progenitors of nearly all domestic birds are known. Fowls and pigeons show many varieties but if propagated abnormalities are ignored each group can be seen to be variations of a single species, the ancestors of which can be recognised without difficulty. Discusses varieties and ancestry of the domestic fowl. Variation in the wild; the ruff shows exceptional variability; other species of birds show variability in size of individuals. Remarks that markings sometimes vary on different sides of the same animal. Comments on the want of regularity in leaf and petal patterns of some plants. Discusses domestic varieties of reindeer and camels. Origin of humped cattle. Reports the rapid spread of a snail in lower Bengal that was introduced as a single pair five or six years previously.

[CD’s notes are an abstract of part of this memorandum. Memorandum originally enclosed with 1760.]

Summary

On novels he has been reading: Eliot, Richardson, etc.

On Wallace, the Reader, and anthropology.

Summary

More on Ayrton affair. Conduct of Gladstone and the Ministry despicable. They have owned him to be in right but will not raise a finger until exposure in Parliament is imminent.

Summary

J. V. Carus’ lecture.

Edinburgh intellectual climate.

Ralph Waldo Emerson’s visit to Edinburgh.

J. H. Stirling did not write anonymous review of Expression in Edinburgh Review. Suggests T. Spencer Baynes of St Andrews. [? T. S. Baynes, "Darwin on expression", 137 (1873): 492–528.]