The Complete Work of Charles Darwin Online

RECORD: Forbes, Edward. [1848].05.15. Letter to J. J. Bennett regarding Huxley's papers. LINSOC-SP.585c[4]. Edited by John van Wyhe (Darwin Online, http://darwin-online.org.uk/)

REVISION HISTORY: Photographed and transcribed by Christine Chua and edited by John van Wyhe 9.2022. RN1

NOTE: See record in the Darwin Online manuscript catalogue, enter its Identifier here. Reproduced with permission of the Linnean Society of London.

Captain Owen Stanley, R.N. 1811-1850. Commanded H.M.S. Rattlesnake (1846-1850). Died suddenly in Sydney on 13 March 1850. His father was Edward Stanley, the Bishop of Norwich and President of the Linnean Society.

Thomas Henry Huxley was appointed assistant surgeon sailed in December 1846. In 1847, 1848, and 1849, his papers were sent to the Linnean Society. They were "summed up and generalised" before being sent to the Royal Society. (The National Portrait Gallery 2: 99)

"Forbes, Edward, 1815-54. Naturalist. Brother of David F. Often at Down House. Founder and moving spirit of the Red Lion Club, a convivial group of the BAAS. Biography: Wilson and Geikie, 1861. 1842-44 Curator museum Geological Society, London. 1843-54 Prof. Botany King's College London. 1845 FRS. 1846 published Descriptions of Secondary Fossil Shells from South America in appendix to F273." (Paul van Helvert & John van Wyhe, Darwin: A Companion, 2021)

Henry Huxley. 1849. On the anatomy and affinities of the family of Medusæ. Proceedings of the Linnean Society of London 5 (21 June): 832-6.

[1]

2A Whitehall Yard

15th May [1848]

Dear Bennett,

I send herewith the papers from Capt Stanley's expedition of which I spoke to you.

The first— that on Physalia — was sent by Capt. Stanley to the Bishop, expressly for the Linnean, but with the condition that I should see it before being read.

The sequel of it only arrived lately & was sent to me.

They are both by Mr Huxley,

[2]

Capt Stanley's assistant surgeon. They are very admirable memoirs on a very difficult subject & one that requires illustration sadly. it is indeed a pleasant prospect to see the likelihood of this author taking a high rank in our science — for his as yet is an unknown name. If read at the society, they had best both be given in as communicated by the Bishop. It will please the president to stand godfather & please his son when he finds the papers approved. As if send the publication of them will come under consideration, I may say that the whole of the figures would easily go into 5 plates, which done in the way my Medusae are being executed for the Ray — (similar animals) — would cost about 2£ a piece.

The whole of either of the papers need not be read but parts maybe be selected of very readable character.

I shall have my notice of "some instances of peloria monstrosities in the Viola canina" — for your next meeting also, if that be soon.

ever most sincerely

Edward Forbes.

Citation: John van Wyhe, ed. 2002-. The Complete Work of Charles Darwin Online. (http://darwin-online.org.uk/)