BIOLOGY

[G. J. Romanes; Darwin; Canadian-born evolutionary biologist, friend and disciple of Charles Darwin.] Part of Autograph Draft of biographical entry on himself, with deleted passage.

Author: 
G. J. Romanes [George John Romanes] (1848-1894), evolutionary biologist, born in Canada, friend and disciple of Charles Darwin
G. J. Romanes
Publication details: 
No date, but from internal evidence written in 1893. No place.
£220.00
G. J. Romanes

See his entry in the Oxford DNB. The present item is clearly part of a draft of an intended biographical entry, penned by Romanes himself in his close and distinctive hand. On one side of a cm piece of laid paper with the reverse blank. Reads: ‘His extensive treatise entitled “Darwin and after Darwin,” which is now being published in successive volumes, is an outgrowth of the lectures delivered in both capacities.

[ Sir Waldemar Mordechai Wolff Haffkine, Russian bacteriologist described by Lister as a saviour of humanity. ] Two Autograph Letters Signed and an Autograph Card Signed (all 'W. M. Haffkine') [ to editor ], regarding his entry in Men of the Times.

Author: 
Sir Waldemar Mordechai Wolff Haffkine [ born Vladimir Aaronovich Chavkin ] (1860-1930), Russian bacteriologist described by Joseph Lister as a saviour of humanity
Publication details: 
All on letterheads of the Buckingham Palace Hotel [ London ]. All dating from July 1899.
£450.00

A Ukrainian Jew, Haffkine found his early career obstructed by his refusal to convert to the Russian Orthodox Church. He emigrated and worked at the Pasteur Institute in Paris, where he developed an anti-cholera vaccine that he tried out successfully in India. He is recognized as the first microbiologist to develop and use vaccines against cholera and bubonic plague. He tested the vaccines on himself. The three items in good conditon, lightly aged. ONE: ALS. 2pp., 12mo. He has been 'away from town', but now hopes to send 'a note on my work' within the week. 'It wd.

[Sir William Jackson Hooker, biologist, first Director of the Royal Botanic Gardens at Kew.] Autograph Signature in valediction to letter.

Author: 
Sir William Jackson Hooker (1785-1865), biologist and botanical illustrator, first Director of the Royal Botanic Gardens at Kew
Sir William Jackson Hooker
Publication details: 
No date or place.
£35.00
Sir William Jackson Hooker

See his entry in the Oxford DNB. On 9.5 x 3 cm slip of paper, cut from letter. In good condition, lightly aged. Reads: 'Your affectionate / friend / W. J. Hooker'. Fragment of text on reverse: '[...] there is any foundat[...] / for the above repor[...] / or not. If there [...]'.

[Robert M. Young, historian of science] Autograph Manuscript cum typescript of early draft with multiple annotations of his Mind, Brain and Adaptation in the Nineteenth Century: Cerebral Localization and its biological Context from Gall to Ferrier

Author: 
Robert M. Young [Robert Maxwell Young (1935 – 2019), American-born historian of science specialising in the 19th century and particularly Darwinian thought].
Publication details: 
A Dissertation Submitted in Candidature for an Unofficial Fellowship to King's College, Cambridge, 1963.
£850.00

Binding black (Instantaneous Binder), 4to, good condition, pagination roughly (added notes intervene) as follows: Prelims inc. Contents, 4pp, in pencil inc. titlepage; Preface 13pp, pencil; Summary of Ph.D. Dissertation, two pp. typescript; MS Note for typist; Body of Text, typescript, pp.[1]-59, annotated often heavily in pencil (pages added with extra information); [a second part] Titlepage Experimental Sensory Motor Physiology and the Association Psychology Koyre to Descartes; Body of Text, pp.

[Frederick Yeates Hurlstone] Autograph Statement-cum-Letter headed Private and signed F.W. Hurlstone, to unkonown correspondent (perhaps an agent?)discussing his current work and activities.

Author: 
F. W. Hurlstone [ Frederick Yeates Hurlstone (1800–1869), portrait and historical painter ]
Publication details: 
No place or date [1842?]
£180.00

One page, cr. 8vo, fold marks, small tear with no loss, faint staining, text clear and complete. Text: Private | I am afraid the melancholy circumstances at Manchester will operate unfavorably on the Exhibition [of 1842?] both as to the number of pictures sent and the visitors and sale.

[Julian Huxley, biologist, first director of UNESCO, as Secretary of Zoological Society of London.] Typed Note with cyclostyled signature, informing Dr Maurice Ernest that he does not consider the 'main thesis' of his book 'biologically justified'.

Author: 
Julian Huxley [Sir Julian Sorell Huxley] (1887-1975), evolutionary biologist, eugenicist, first director of UNESCO, brother of Aldous Huxley, grandson of Thomas Henry Huxley [Dr Maurice Ernest]
Publication details: 
15 March 1941. On letterhead of the Zoological Society of London, Regent's Park, London, N.W.8.
£50.00

1p, 4to. In good condition, lightly aged. Folded three times. Cyclostyled signature: 'Julian S. Huxley'. Addressed to 'Dr. Maurice Ernest, | New Court, | Esher, | Surrey.' He apologises for having been unable to read his book, adding: 'I am afraid I cannot feel that your main thesis is biologically justified'. It is obvious why Huxley did not look beyond the title, as the book he is clearly referring to is Ernest's 'Lives of 300 years and continual rejuvenation' (1942).

[Julian Huxley, biologist, first director of UNESCO, as Secretary of Zoological Society of London.] Typed Note with cyclostyled signature, informing Dr Maurice Ernest that he does not consider the 'main thesis' of his book 'biologically justified'.

Author: 
Julian Huxley [Sir Julian Sorell Huxley] (1887-1975), evolutionary biologist, eugenicist, first director of UNESCO, brother of Aldous Huxley, grandson of Thomas Henry Huxley [Dr Maurice Ernest]
Publication details: 
15 March 1941. On letterhead of the Zoological Society of London, Regent's Park, London, N.W.8.
£50.00

1p, 4to. In good condition, lightly aged. Folded three times. Cyclostyled signature: 'Julian S. Huxley'. Addressed to 'Dr. Maurice Ernest, | New Court, | Esher, | Surrey.' He apologises for having been unable to read his book, adding: 'I am afraid I cannot feel that your main thesis is biologically justified'. It is obvious why Huxley did not look beyond the title, as the book he is clearly referring to is Ernest's 'Lives of 300 years and continual rejuvenation' (1942).

[William Bateson, English biologist who coined the word 'genetics'.] Autograph Letter Signed ('W. Bateson') to the musicologist R. A. Streatfeild, regarding 'leave to quote' from him in Streatfeild's edition of Samuel Butler's 'Life and Habit'.

Author: 
William Bateson (1861-1926), English biologist who coined the word 'genetics' [Richard Alexander Streatfeild (1866-1919), musicologist]
Publication details: 
On letterhead of The Manor House, Merton, Surrey. 23 December 1910.
£180.00

3pp, 12mo. Bifolium. In good condition, lightly aged. He thanks him for 'kindly sending the new Life and Habit' (i.e. Streatfeild's edition of the book by Samuel Butler), and he is 'delighted to have that extraordinary book in its fullest form'. The book has been carried off by a 'young man who works with me here', so Bateson has 'not yet seen the additions'. He is glad Streatfeild 'should have thought my reference to Butler worth quoting and I can't see any need for asking leave to quote'.

[ William Henry Dallinger, astronomer. ] Autograph Note Signed ('W. H. Dallinger') enclosing payment in stamps for a number of Ramsay's 'Scientific Roll'.

Author: 
W. H. Dallinger [ William Henry Dallinger ] (1839-1909), microscopist, the first scientist to carry out a controlled experiment on Darwin's theory of evolution [ Wesley College, Sheffield ]
Publication details: 
On letterhead of Wesley College, Sheffield. 26 May 1881.
£65.00

1p., 12mo. In good condition, lightly aged. The letterhead incorporates an attractive engraved front elevation of the College, of which Dallinger was Governor, 1879-1888. The note reads: 'Dear Sir | Please find enclosed 12 stamps for No 3 of Scientific Roll and oblige | Yours truly | W. H. Dallinger'.

[ St. George Jackson Mivart, eventually anti-Darwinian biologist. ] Autograph Note Signed about a ticket.

Author: 
St. George Jackson Mivart (1827-1900), biologist who promoted Darwin's theories, then repudiated them
Publication details: 
No place. 29 June [ no year ].
£250.00

1p., 12mo. On aged and norn paper. Written in a difficult hand. Appears to read: 'Dear Mr Woodrow | I send you the enclosed (my ticket) till the end of July. Please let me <?> it at 71 Seymour St on the evening of July 31st.' A Catholic convert, Mivart was increasingly disenchanted with his friend Thomas Henry Huxley's anti-papist stance, and repudiated his initial support for the theory of evolution. This did not, however, endear him the the Roman Catholic authorities.

[ George John Romanes, evolutionary biologist. ] Autograph Letter Signed ('G. J. Romanes') to 'Mr. Harborough', regarding the application of Arthur Nicols to be a lecturer.

Author: 
G. J. Romanes [ George John Romanes ] (1848-1894), evolutionary biologist, born in Canada, friend and colleague of Charles Darwin [ Arthur Nicols ]
Romanes
Publication details: 
18 Cornwall Terrace, Regents Park [ London ]. 7 May 1883.
£180.00
Romanes

2pp., 12mo. On bifolium with mourning border. In fair condition, aged and worn, with the second leaf laid down on part of a leaf cut from an autograph album. He is enclosing 'a Lecture Syllabus from Mr. Nicol, whom you may perhaps remember having seen meet me in the committee room on the day of my lecture'. Nicols wants Romanes to recommend him as a lecturer, but he only knows him 'from his book "Zoological Notes" which I reviewed in Nature.

[ Sir James Gray, zoologist. ] Autograph Letter Signed ('James Gray') to the Secretary, Royal Society of Arts, explaining why he cannot chair 'Dr. Cole's "Cantor" Lecture'.

Author: 
Sir James Gray (1880-1975), British zoologist who helped establish the field of cytology [structure of cells etc]
Publication details: 
On letterhead of King's Field, West Road, Cambridge. 31 January 1962.
£38.00

1p., 8vo. In fair condition, lightly-aged, with small pin-hole at top left and Gray's signature underlined in red pencil. He would have 'loved' to chair 'Dr. Cole's "Cantor" Lecture on 22 May, but has to 'attend at [sic] series of meetings in Ireland during the whole of that week'. He has written to Cole on the matter.

[ Felix Plater, Swiss physician. ] Autograph Document Signed ('Felix Platerus Basil | Archiatros & Prof')

Author: 
Felix Plater (1536-1614), Swiss physician and professor at the University of Basel, pioneer in fields of psychiatry and germ theory of disease
Felix Plater
Publication details: 
Basil. May 1611.
£450.00
Felix Plater

On one side of an 11.5 x 7.5 cm piece of paper. In fair condition, aged and stained. Consisting of a two-line improving Latin quotation beginning: 'Nullius est Felix'. Signed beneath this: 'Felix Platerus Basil | Archiatros & Prof. | Ao S

1611 Maio | Ao AM. 73'. On the reverse are two longer signed quotations, both in calligraphic hands, the lower of the two by 'Johannes Philippus a Fritten back', dated 28 February 1607. The author is identified in pencil in a later hand as John Phillips who died in 1640.

[ Sir John Simon, English pathologist. ] Autograph Letter Signed ('John Simon') to 'Mrs Freshfield', regarding the return of her 'Oedipus' and a 'Freshwater outing'.

Author: 
Sir John Simon (1816-1904), English pathologist [ Freshfield family ]
Publication details: 
40 Kensington Square W. [ London ] 24 March 1894.
£38.00

1p., 16mo. In good condition, lightly aged and spotted. Since she is going away, he considers it 'safer' to return the 'Oedipus', which has given him great pleasure. He hopes she will enjoy her 'Freshwater outing', and that 'we may remain above the horizon to welcome your return to town'. The Freshfields were a noted family of solicitors, with strong connections with the Bank of England.

[Charles Janet] Autograph Note Signed 'Ch Janet' to [W.B. Crow, biologist]

Author: 
Charles Janet (849–1932), French engineer, company director, inventor and biologist.
Publication details: 
[Printed headed notepaper] Charles Janet, Ingénieur de Arts et Manufactures, Voisinlieu-les-Beauvais, Par Alonne (Oise), 10 Juillet 1923. En francais.
£135.00

One page, 12mo, good condition. He acknowledges receipt of a letter from Crow [identified through this letter being with a batch of letters addressed to him] "et des deux publications que vous avez bien voulu m'envoyer et qui sont intéressantes pour moi. | Je vous ai envoyé hier le 2me Memoire sur le Volvox | Vous recevez prochainement le 3me Mémoire qui traite de l'outogénèse de la blastea volvocéenne."

[Eugenio Rignano] Autograph Letter Signed to Prof. W.B. Crow, W.B. Crow, author of "Contributions to the Principles of Morphology ", giving reasons for declining an article.

Author: 
Eugenio Rignano, Jewish Italian philosopher, sometime editor of the journal 'Scientia'.
Publication details: 
[Printed heading] "Scientia", etc, 18 Dec. 1927.
£80.00

2pp., 8vo, bifolium, some creasing, small closed tear, text clear and complete. He has just been able to read Crow's article 'the primitive forms of life' which he found interesting. But he declines to publish it because the length does not conform to their standard of 10 pages (being 20 pages).

One Autograph Letter Signed, and four Typed Notes Signed to "Dr. Crow" [W.B. Crow, author of "Contributions to the Principles of Morphology".]

Author: 
Charles Singer, historian of science, technology, and medicine
Publication details: 
5 North Grove, Highgate Village, [London], N6, 1928-1931.
£120.00

Total of five letters, total 5pp., 8vo (4) and 12mo (1), small amount of chipping and staining, texts clear and complete. (1928) He acknowledges receipt of "Symmetry in Organisms" which he read with 'pleasure & profit'; (March 1929) He acknowldges recipt of 'Principles of Morphology' which he found particularly interesting "because I am writing the section on the subject in my 'History of Biology'"; (April 1929) "I am delighted to sign your application for teh Royal Society of Medicine. I fear you will find it rather expensive.

Autograph Letter Signed ('D. J. Scourfield') from the biologist and microscopist David Joseph Scourfield to 'Dr. Crow' [William Bernard Crow], describing a 'living specimen from Eagle Pond, Epping Forest, of a species of Volvox'.

Author: 
David Joseph Scourfield (1866-1949), ISO, FLS, FZS, FRMS, biologist and microscopist [Dr William Bernard Crow (1895-1976), biologist and occultist]
Publication details: 
63 Queen's Road, Leytonstone, E11. 26 September 1927.
£95.00

3pp., 12mo. Good, on lightly-aged paper, on two leaves pinned together. He begins: 'I am sending herewith living specimens from Eagle Pond, Epping Forest, of a species of Volvox without protoplasmic connections between the cells. If you have not had it before you will no doubt be interested. If you have, I should be glad if you could tell me what you think it ought to be called. It is evidently close, if not identical, with V. Monona Gilb. Smith recorded by Pearsall as British from the Lake Dist. But it may also be V. tertius Meyer (cf.

Autograph Letter Signed B. Gilliat-Smith (diplomat and naturalist) to Lady Findlay, wife of diplomat, Mansfeldt Findlay, about books on fungi.

Author: 
B. Gilliat-Smith, diplomat and naturalist
B. Gilliat-Smith, diplomat and naturalist
Publication details: 
British Consulate, Copenhagen, 17 August 1918.
£38.00
B. Gilliat-Smith, diplomat and naturalist

Three pages, 12mo, minor defects, text clear and complete. I fear I quite forgot to send you the names of the books on 'fungi', and now I have not got them with me. But as the messenger is going up to Christiania I am sending you some rather crude pictures, which may be of some use pending the arrival of better books which I shall recommend shortly. | But for heaven's sake be careful! Some are so poisonous that no doctor can be of any use.

No. 20 of the 'Bibliotheca Entomologica'.

Author: 
Felix L. Dames, German natural history publisher and bookseller
Publication details: 
Berlin: Tasuben-Strasse 47. 1892.
£35.00

8vo, 90 pp. Stitched and unbound. 3328 priced items. Text clear and complete. On aged paper.

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