| Ref No | MS/396 |
| Title | Copies of letters between George John Romanes and John Thomas Gulick |
| AdminHistory | John Thomas Gulick (1832 - 1923) was an American missionary and naturalist. He was born on 13 March 1832 in Waimea on Kauai Island to Peter Johnson Gulick and Fanny Hinckley Thomas, who were missionaries in the Hawaiian Islands.
In 1851, a young Gulick started to collect and study Hawaiian snails and was one of the first to describe the formation of species through geographic separation of breeding populations. He also travelled to the Micronesian island of Pohnpei in 1852, where he made scientific drawings of the ruined city of Nan-Matal - the first Westerner to do so. In 1853, he read Charles Darwin's ‘Voyage of the Beagle’ and Hugh Miller's ‘The Footprints of the Creator’, and this started off a lifelong interest in evolutionism.
He is also believed to be the first person to use the term "divergent evolution." During his research on land-shells of the Sandwich Islands, he observed that there were numerous species and varieties of each genus, which were restricted not merely to the same island, but even to the same valley. He thus elaborated a theory of divergent evolution by isolation, which he discussed in papers sent to the Linnean Society and in four letters to ‘Nature’. On this subject he corresponded with A.R. Wallace, and especially with G.J. Romanes, who gave Gulick's work a prominent place in the third volume of his ‘Darwin, and after Darwin’ (1897).
Gulick later extended his ideas to societal evolution in human beings, which he thought was dependent on altruistic motives and a spirit of cooperation. This theory was presented in his thesis paper called ‘Evolution, Racial and Habitudinal’ in 1905 and subsequently went on to receive an honorary Ph.D. from Oberlin College. Later that same year Gulick and his second wife Frances Amelia Stevens, returned to Hawaii, where he sold his shell collection to Charles Montague Cooke Jr. the new curator of the Bernice P. Bishop Museum. He remained there until his death on 14 April 1923 and is buried alongside his wife in the Mission Houses cemetery. The couple had two biological children, Addison Gulick and Louise Whitaker. He also had two Chinese children whom he had adopted with his first wife Emily de la Cour. |
George John Romanes (1848 - 1894) was a Canadian-Scottish evolutionary biologist, physiologist, writer, lecturer and a Fellow of the Royal Society, the Zoological Society and the Linnean Society. He is best known for his work on comparative psychology in humans and animals and helped to promote Charles Darwin’s theories of evolution and natural selection.
Romanes was born on 20 May 1848 in Kingston, Canada, the youngest son of Rev. Prof. George Romanes and his wife, Isabella Cair Smith. Despite being born in Canada, Romanes lived in London and temporarily in Germany and Italy before going to Gonville and Caius College, Cambridge, in 1867, to study medicine and physiology. It was during his time at Cambridge that he befriended Charles Darwin and became his assistant researcher. Before passing away Darwin shared his unpublished writings and research with Romanes, which influenced Romanes' ideas and inspired him to publish his own papers.
Romanes was a prolific writer and had been awarded the Burney prize at Cambridge in 1873 for an essay. He also wrote papers on the nervous systems of the Medusae (Jellyfish) and Echinoderms and continued to research the physiology of Invertebrates at University College London. It was for his work on Medusae that resulted in his admission as a member of the Royal Society in 1879. However, much of Romanes’ writings focused on applying Darwin’s theories to psychology in humans and animals and how physiological selection is the driving force behind the production of new species. These ideas were met with scepticism by scientists, but Romanes persevered and wrote the books ‘Animal Intelligence’, ‘Mental Evolution in Animals’, ‘Mental Evolution in Man’ and ‘Darwin After Darwin’.
In addition to his writings Romanes became a Fellow of the Zoological Society and lectured at the Royal Institution, the University of Cambridge, the University of Edinburgh and the University of Oxford where he founded the ‘Romanes Lectures’. He was also elected as a Fellow of the Linnean Society in 1875 and served as the society’s Zoological Secretary between 1881 and 1885. After 3 years of poor health, Romanes died on 23 May 1894, aged 46, leaving a widow (Ethel) and 6 children, 5 boys and 1 girl. |
| Description | Bound volume containing typescript copies of letters between George John Romanes and John Thomas Gulick, together with exchanges of related letters between Gulick and L. Agassiz, W.H. Dallinger, Charles Darwin, J. Fletcher Moulton, W.N. Flower, A.J. Jackson, Donald MacAllister, the Linnean Society (Percy C. Sladen), Edgar A. Smith, H. de Varigny and Alfred Russel Wallace. These copies were created between 1931-1961, with the original letters dated between 1872 -1893.
Numbers refer to first numbered page of typed letters.
1. 27 July 1872 - Gulick to Darwin, C.
(Draft) The Nat. Hist. of the Galapagos Isles had led him to investigate the species in the Sandwich Isles. Would therefore like to meet him.
2. 28 June 1872 - Darwin, C. to Gulick
Suggests day and time for his visit but stresses he is not at all well. "My head is daily bad from 2 1/2 to 4 o'clock".
4. 8 August 1872 - Darwin, C. to Gulick
Letters crossed. Can do nothing about his paper. Judges might think him prejudiced in favour of Gulick's subject.
5. 3 September 1872 - Wallace, A.R. to Gulick
Will send his manuscript to the Linnean Society. Suggests he prepares a map to illustrate it.
6. 23 October 1862 - Agassiz, L. to Gulick
Disappointed to find out on returning home that he had missed a visit from him.
7. 8 January 1874 - Smith, E.A. to Gulick
Had despatched copies as requested.
9. 19 October 1887 - Romanes to Gulick
Interested in his thoughts on Segregation. Will do as he suggests in regard to forwarding his letter to 'Nature' if the Linnean Society accepts his paper for publication.
11. 24 December 1887 - Wallace, A.R. to Gulick
Thinks Gulick's paper far too long to be accepted by the Linnean Society. If it were condensed by half the length of the Abstract it might appear in 'Nature'.
13. 16 January 1888 - Romanes to Gulick
Had recommended that the Linnean Society publish his paper on 'Divergent Evolution'. If accepted he would post his letter to 'Nature'.
15. 10 April 1888 - Gulick to Linnean Society
Accepts that his paper on 'Divergent Evolution through Cumulative Segregation' is too long to be published at the expense of the Linnean Society. Asks for an estimate of costs if Chapter II were to be omitted.
18. 23 April 1888 - Linnean Society to Gulick
Linnean Society will publish his paper if Chapter II be omitted and he pays half the publishing costs, £15 to £20.
20. 28 April 1888 - Gulick to Romanes
Gratified that he had examined his [Gulick's] paper on 'Divergent Evolution' and had recommended it to the Linnean Society. Tells of his proposal to the Linnean Society relating to publication.
22. 8 May 1888 - Gulick to Linnean Society
Encloses cheque for £15 to meet half of the publication costs. In addition to author's 25 free copies he would like another 30 copies for which he would pay.
25. 12 July 1888 - Flower, W.N. to Gulick
Informs Gulick that the British Museum (Natural History Museum) [now the Natural History Museum] will have to decline the purchasing of his shells. Asks if he wishes to supervise the re-packaging of them.
26. 13 July 1888 - Gulick to Flower, W.N.
Thinks an exhibition of the shell collection would be of interest to every naturalist interested in the origin of species. Gives reasons. [On p. 29 there is a description of the Sandwich Island land shells which Agassiz, before his death, had agreed to purchase for $600].
30. 22 July 1888 - Romanes to Gulick
About the abstract of his [Gulick's] paper for 'Nature'.
31. 26 August 1888 - Romanes to Gulick
Asks when his paper will be published. Suggests it be reviewed by H. de Varigny in 'Revue Scientifique'.
32. 26 August 1888 - Romanes to Gulick
Asks Gulick if he can borrow some of his Sandwich Island shells for exhibition during his Royal Institution lectures.
33. 31 August 1888 - Gulick to Romanes
Happy to send copy of paper to Varigny. Also happy to lend him a set of shells. Finally convinced by Günther that the British Museum was not the place for his collection. Encloses draft letter to Flower. Will prepare the shells for portable exhibition purposes.
36. 2 September 1888 - Romanes to Gulick
Returns draft letter to Flower which he approves. Suggests he approaches Oxford or Cambridge for the purchase of his collection. Offers to find a buyer at a museum where students will profit from the collection if Gulick is not able to before he leaves England.
38. 8 September 1888 - MacAlister, d. to Gulick
Had received copy of Gulick's paper which he read with great interest.
39. 17 September 1888 - Gulick to Varigny, H.
Asks if he would review his paper 'Divergent Evolution through Cumulative Segregation' for the attention of French biologists.
40. 27 September 1888 - Dallinger, W.H. to Gulick
Had read his paper and would be pleased to see him.
41. 12 October 1888 - Romanes to Gulick
Had read his reply to Wallace. Thinks it better if he were to omit discussion of alternative meanings of "isolation". Thinks also it would be better to omit the concluding paragraphs of his manuscript before sending it to 'Nature'.
43. 27 October 1888 - Gulick to Romanes
About transmission of his shells and their arrangement in shallow drawers. Mentions the apparent confusion when the shells are first examined. Explains why. Has valued the collection at £70.
48. October 1888 - Gulick to Romanes
Introduces F. Tindall who is studying at the Royal School of Mines. Had helped in arranging the collection and would deliver them. [On p. 49 there is the same description of shells as on p. 29].
50. 29 October 1888 - Gulick to Romanes
Collection insured for £75. Asks for receipt when he receives them. Receipt spelled out at bottom of letter.
51. 16 October 1888 - De Varigny, H. to Gulick
Will review his paper for the 'Revue Scientifique'.
52. 12 December 1888 - Romanes to Gulick
Thinks 'Nature' is waiting for his controversy with Dyer to end before publishing Gulick's reply to Wallace. Bewildered by multitude of shells in the collection. Asks to be recommended one set of species and varieties. Surprised at the prejudice against their views.
54. 29 December 1888 - Gulick to Romanes
Will act on his request. Has written a paper about his collection which he will send to the Linnean Society. It will prove the correctness of their joint theory. Gives a long description relative to the contents of the paper.
60. 20 March 1889 - Jackson, A. J. to Gulick
Mr Cooke, Curator of Zoology, King's College Cambridge does not understand the collection or the arrangement. He suggests a clearer explanation and thinks the price too high.
62. 21 May 1889 - Romanes to Gulick
Explains why his [Gulick's] answer to Wallace had never appeared in 'Nature'. Thinks Edinburgh will eventually purchase the collection.
64. 24 September 1889 - Gulick to Jackson, A.J.
Will no longer insure the collection but when it is sold will pay him for looking after it. About the number of shells, the selling price and what Jackson should do.
67. 30 September 1889 - Romanes to Gulick
Had read his US papers with great interest. The Editor of 'Nature' would be prepared to publish a reply by Gulick to Wallace's book on Darwinism.
68. 10 October 1889 - Romanes to Gulick
'Nature' thinks his letter too long but why bother at all with 'Nature'? Suggests he write a treatise in book form of 200-300 pages.
70. November 1889 - Gulick to Flower, W.N.
Describes in detail how his collection of land shells from the Sandwich Islands have now been arranged easily for display and their importance to the field of biology.
74. 15 December 1889 - Gulick
A circular to field botanists suggesting a line of research into fertility.
76. 19 December 1889 - Gulick to Romanes
Has received note saying his reply to Wallace is too long for publication in 'Nature'. Perhaps with changes it might be accepted by 'American Journal of Science'. His Wallace reply could be sent to Sladen.
77. 4 January 1890 - Gulick to Romanes
Had received clippings from 'Nature' and 'The Chronicle'. Encloses an article for 'Nature' as a partial reply to Wallace's criticisms.
78. 21 January 1890 - Gulick to Romanes
Encloses another letter for 'Nature'. Strange that Lankester called his [Romanes'] paper on Physiological Selection an attack on Darwin's theory.
79. 15 February 1890 - Romanes to Gulick
Confirms he had sent the manuscript to the Linnean Society and the second letter to 'Nature' "...as we are the only two human beings who recognize the full importance of segregation in all its forms, we should submit to each other our views before publication..." Explains why in detail.
83. 10 April 1890 - Gulick to Romanes
Gives details of what he had said about Wallace's explanation, the points at which "Wallace has deserted his own principles and at what points he has failed of making the best use of ours".
86. 5 June 1890 - Gulick to Romanes
Discusses in detail Romanes' papers published in 'Nature' on 3rd and 10th April.
94. 12 July 1890 - Romanes to Gulick
Discusses his use of the terms Isolation and Segregation and the fact that they had at last disagreed.
101. 14 July 1890 - Romanes to Gulick
Suggests that Isogamy could be correlative to Homogamy, to signify Separate as distinguished from Segregate Breeding.
102. 16 July 1890 - Romanes to Gulick
Asks if he still thinks that physiological selection, selective fertility or segregate fecundity can never act alone.
103. 19 July 1890 - Romanes to Gulick
Understands his definition of Elemental Segregation but not satisfied it can always act alone.
108. 26 July 1890 - Romanes to Gulick
He intends to publish extracts from Moulton's letter (enclosed) in an appendix to his answer to Wallace. He will not quote from Moulton's letters any references to him [Gulick]. Moulton agrees.
109. 27 August 1890 - Gulick to Romanes
Comments on Gulick's letters of 12 and 14 July and the postcard dated 16 July all of which he had just received. Includes a diagram by Gulick about evolution through homogamy.
114. 16 September 1890 - Gulick to Romanes
Finds he was mistaken in Spencer's use of the word Homogamy. Homogenesis was what he had used. Apogamy, chosen by Romanes, was better than Isogamy as a substitute for Indiscriminate Isolation.
118. 9 December 1890 - Romanes to Gulick
Had not yet seen his paper on 'The Preservation and Accumulation of Cross-Fertility' but makes reference to it in this week's 'Nature'.
120. 25 December 1890 - Romanes to Gulick
Hopes that his final answer to Wallace will appear this week. Had long wanted to ask how it was that he had retained his Christian belief. His own belief had long ago been shattered.
123. 17 February 1891 - Gulick to Romanes
Explains at length how, if cross-fertility is not associated with some form of positive segregation it will disappear.
130. 18 February 1891 - Gulick to Romanes
Had sent him five copies of 'Intensive Segregation' and 'The Preservation and Accumulation of Cross-Fertility'.
131. 20 February 1891 - Gulick to Romanes
Encloses corrections for his paper 'Remarks on Mr. Moulton's Reasonings and Calculations'.
132. 20 February 1891 - Moulton, J.F. to Romanes [see no. 108]
Thinks his comparatively favourable opinion he had formed of the tables in Gulick's paper had been misplaced. "I now think them quite worthless". Gives his reasons at great length.
143. 1891 - Gulick to Romanes
Long and detailed comments on Moulton's reasonings and calculations.
154. 7 March 1891 - Gulick to Romanes
Not worried by references to him in the reply to Wallace. Encloses his thoughts on the main line of Christian evidence [No. 155].
155. 7 March 1891 - Gulick
Christianity and the Evolution of Rational life ["Sent to Romanes with letter of 7th March 1891. Sent to Thomas Gulick 5th January 1892 and he sent it to G.F. Wright after Romanes' death and it appeared in the 'Bibliotheca Sacra', Jan. 1896. - Addison Gulick."]
162. 26 March 1891 - Romanes to Gulick
Asks for copy of his paper on the question of utility as universal.
163. 19 May 1891 - Romanes to Gulick
Has returned for press Gulick's paper on definition of the distinction between physiological selection and segregate fecundity. Comments on Gulick's response to his question about Christianity.
170. [No date] - Gulick
Christianity and its Distortions ["...an uncompleted outline of a possible letter to Romanes that - for unexplained reasons - was never sent."]
174. 25 May 1891 - Gulick to Romanes
Encloses queries concerning ostrich farming.
175. 24 June 1891 - Romanes to Gulick
Has seen some curious mice from Japan. Asks Gulick if he has met with them and knows their origin.
176. 2 July 1891 - Romanes to Gulick
About his letter re ostriches.
177. 6 October 1891 - Gulick to Romanes
Had despatched his reply to Moulton's criticisms. If not received he will send them again.
178. 12 November 1891 - Romanes to Gulick
Had received reply to Moulton's criticisms. Asks how Gulick fared in the earthquake.
179. 21 November 1891 - Moulton, J.F. to Romanes
Does not accept Gulick's criticism of his letter. Explains why.
182. 5 December 1891 - Romanes to Gulick
Encloses copy of Moulton's reply and the reply of Gulick. Asks Gulick to send him a photograph.
183. 30 January 1892 - Gulick to Romanes
About Moulton's reply. Encloses photograph of self as requested. Asks in return for one of Romanes.
186. 29 March 1892 - Romanes to Gulick
Grateful for photograph. Had intended to publish it with photographs of Darwin, Wallace and Weismann in his forthcoming book.
187. 2 June 1892 - Romanes to Gulick
Asks if he had ever contemplated the segregation of castes of symenoptera of same species.
188. 4 August 1892 - Gulick to Romanes
Comments on Darwin's origin of sterile working and soldier castes amongst bees and ants.
191. 27 October 1892 - Romanes to Gulick
Has received Gulick's letter of 4 August and with permission would like to publish it in his next book 'Part II of Darwin and after Darwin'. This book has been delayed because of serious illness.
192. 27 December 1892 - Gulick to Romanes
Unhappy to hear of his illness. Grateful for photograph. Asks what will be the general scope of his lectures.
193. 16 Jun [1892] - Romanes to Gulick
His photograph not good enough for publication. Publisher would prefer a negative.
194. 9 October 1893 - Romanes to Gulick
Asks for an autograph to be reproduced under his portrait.
195. 6 December 1893 - Gulick to Romanes
Encloses specimens of the article. His health is very good. Grateful for the copy of 'An Examination of Weismannism'. |
| Date | 27 Jul 1872-6 Dec 1893 |
| Level | Item |
| Extent | 1 bound volume |
| Language | English |
| Related Material | DA/COL/2/1/47 |
| Notes | Correspondence, dated 1931-1961, relating to the donation of this collection by A. Gulick can be found in the Domestic Archive (DA/COL/2/1/47) |
| Acquisition | In 1931 A. Gulick requested that the heirs of G.J. Romanes would allow him to make transcript copies of the correspondence between Romanes and his father, J.T. Gulick, dated 1872-1893. The transcript was then donated to the Linnean Society in November 1932 (and a copy also sent to the Philadelphia Academy of Natural Sciences). In 1961 A. Gulick sent a revised copy of the typescript to the Linnean Society and requested that the original typescript (donated in 1931) would be sent to the Romanes family. Correspondence relating to this can be found in the Domestic Archive. |
| Creator Name | Gulick, John Thomas |
| Romanes, George John |
| Access_Status | Open |