Summary

Praises CL’s work on human species.

A critical review of Origin in Saturday Review [24 Dec 1859].

A letter from J. G. Jeffreys criticises CD’s geological statements.

A note from William Whewell concerning Origin.

Summary

Thanks WW for wedding gift.

Expresses admiration for his History of the inductive sciences [1837].

Summary

CD’s reasons for his reluctance to take the Secretaryship of the Geological Society.

Summary

Asks correspondent if he would prefer the President’s signature alone or with those of other scientific men.

Summary

Treasures recollections of old friends but seldom sees any. Has turned "a complete scribbler".

His scientific activities.

No wife in sight so far.

Summary

Thanks RM for "Dynamics of earthquakes" [Trans. R. Irish Acad. 21 (1848): 50–106]. It has cleared up his ideas on undulations. Now wishes he had said nothing about them in Journal of researches. Sends his paper ["Certain volcanic phenomena in S. America", Collected papers 1: 53–86]. Wishes RM would investigate Chile. Speculates whether earthquakes coincide with moon or tides.

Summary

Comments at length on CL’s book [Antiquity of man (1863)]. CD is "greatly disappointed that you have not given judgment and spoken fairly out what you think about the derivation of species".

Lists large number of queries concerning minor points.

Praises especially the chapters on language and glaciers.

Comments on the temperature of Africa during the glacial period, especially with regard to the views of Hooker.

Mentions Owen’s paper on the aye-aye [Rep. BAAS 32 (1862) pt 2: 114–16].

Summary

SPW and Waterhouse agree on island faunas; gives Australia and Tasmania as examples. The "stream of migration" from Asia to Tasmania.

Looks forward eagerly to the publication of CD’s "specific" researches.

Invites CD to send his memoranda [on Manual of Mollusca].

Summary

Origin has "stirred up the mud with a vengeance"; AG and three or four others have saved CD from annihilation and are responsible for the attention now given to the subject. Reports events at Oxford BAAS meeting.

New evidence supports AG’s view of a warm post-glacial period.

Discusses his recent orchid observations.

Poses AG a question on design in nature.

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.

Summary

"I had not heard before of Whench [Whewell?] having scolded you; I am rather glad of it …

What a grand number of novelties Hooker no doubt will bring home".

Summary

Asks WW to alter, before printing, the passages in WW’s Presidential Address to the Geological Society [Proc. Geol. Soc. Lond. 3 (1839): 93] which pointedly allude to the delay in publication of CD’s Beagle journal; they might annoy FitzRoy, who, as Captain, has a right to first use of the papers of all officers on board.

Summary

An extract from a life of Kepler about the motions of Mars.

Summary

Comments on correspondence between CL and Whewell [concerning university reform].

Criticises S. G. Morton’s "Hybridity in animals" [Am. J. Sci. 2d ser. 3 (1847): 39–50, 203–12].

Summary

At Lyell’s request sends his copy of Whewell’s History of inductive sciences [1837] to CB.

Summary

CD has followed Lyell’s advice and avoided controversy over Origin but encourages BDW to attack S. H. Scudder and others who argue foolishly or misquote him.

Summary

Has just given a paper [on "Sand tubes"] at Cambridge Philosophical Society and exhibited some specimens. It went well, with Whewell and Sedgwick taking an active part.

Herschel thinks 6000–odd years since the creation not nearly long enough to explain the separations from a single stock.

Summary

Returns Whewell’s presidential address to the Geological Society of London (Whewell 1839), and suggests that ‘rules’ be changed to ‘customs’.

Summary

Continues earlier discussion, admitting his opinions have been modified. Still regards natural selection as one agent of several. States areas of disagreement.