Summary

Family and Shrewsbury news. Visits of relatives and friends.

Summary

Asks identity of [Henry] Fawcett, who wrote a capital article on the Origin in Macmillan’s Magazine [3 (1860): 81–92], "A popular exposition of Mr Darwin".

Summary

Sends detailed report on the prospects for a settlement on the coast of Patagonia, pointing out many problems, and recommending instead the Falkland Islands.

Summary

Suggests two ways of financing what Susan will owe Catherine’s estate.

Summary

Doubts Decaisne’s report of larkspur self-fertilisation.

Enthusiastically observes climbing plants. Needs to know how novel his observations are. Finds R. J. H. Dutrochet has made similar observations, so he has wasted some time. [See Climbing plants, p. 1 n.]

Summary

Congratulates CL on finding Arctic shells.

Comments on paper by E. B. Hunt ["On the origin, growth, substructure and chronology of the Florida reef", Am. J. Sci. 2d ser. 35 (1863): 197–210].

Mentions J. D. Dana’s health.

George Bentham’s statement on species [Proc. Linn. Soc. Lond. (1863): xi–xxix].

Praises Bates’s book [Naturalist on the river Amazons (1863)].

Summary

CL is aware that she is dying and so says her farewells.

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

Thanks for Orchids [2d ed.].

Does not feel his abstract of Cross and self-fertilisation [Am. J. Sci. 3d ser. 13 (1877): 125–41] was thorough enough.

Has heard of their sad bereavement last autumn [death of Amy, wife of Francis Darwin].

Summary

Erasmus Alvey Darwin has rheumatism; his sisters complain of his bad temper but CD thinks him very good tempered. CD has received a new cabinet. [This is the first of six entries written in a "Memorandum book" comprising four sheets folded into a gather and sewn together in book form. The entries are in the style of letters addressed to an unnamed friend and are dated between 1 and 12 January 1822, shortly before CD’s thirteenth birthday. As they were written straight into the memorandum book, it is clear that they were never sent through the post, but were either to an imaginary recipient, or intended to be read by someone in the household, possibly CD’s youngest sister, Emily Catherine Darwin (Catherine).]

Summary

Birds has gone to the printer.

Continues "to collect all kinds of facts about ""varieties and species"" " for his "some-day work".

Would be grateful for descriptions of offspring of crossbred domestic animals.

Summary

Some observations by EL on moths visiting flowers.

Summary

Asks CD whether he knows of a medicine to check vomiting – for a friend dying from starvation as a result.

Duke of Somerset is looking for two naturalists for survey ship to Korea and Strait of Magellan.

Summary

On Wedgwood vases for JDH.

Willy Hooker’s scarlet fever.

Summary

Tells WED of a change in his will.

Summary

Has just sent MS of Variation off to printer. Is in darkness about its merits.

News of family and their health. Riding seems to help him.

Summary

Tells of his health and family matters.

Congratulates CD on being honoured by Oxford.

Discusses the state of Tierra del Fuego and the success of missionaries there.

Summary

Poor health has made him give up all geological work.

Profits on their volumes [of Narrative] seem absurdly small.

Looks back on Beagle voyage as the most fortunate circumstance in his life.

Finds marriage a great happiness.

Summary

Sends family news;

describes what remains of his "menagerie" and tells of his interest in the framework of his son’s German badger-hound.