To Asa Gray 2 May [1856]
Summary
Suggests affinities of the U. S. flora that he considers would be worth investigating. Wants to know the ranges of species in large and small genera.
Questions AG on naturalised plants; whether any are social in U. S. which are not so elsewhere and how variable they are compared with indigenous species. Would like to know of any differences in the variability of species at different points of their ranges and also the physical states of plants at the extremes of their ranges.
Author: | Charles Robert Darwin |
Addressee: | Asa Gray |
Date: | 2 May [1856] |
Classmark: | Archives of the Gray Herbarium, Harvard University (4) |
Letter no: | DCP-LETT-1863 |
Matches: 14 hits
- … 369– 403. Hooker, Joseph Dalton. 1844–7. Flora Antarctica. 1 vol. and 1 vol. of plates. Pt …
- … Ross. London: Reeve Brothers. Wahlenberg, Göran. 1824–6. Flora Suecica. 2 pts. Upsala. …
- … Suggests affinities of the U. S. flora that he considers would be worth investigating. …
- … first part of his paper ‘Statistics of the flora of the northern United States’ ( A. Gray …
- … del Fuego are not separately listed in Flora Antarctica ( Hooker 1844–7 ), but presumably …
- … Gray would extract them from the Fuegian flora details. A. de Candolle 1855 , 1: 457–73. …
- … 1985–. Gray, Asa. 1856–7. Statistics of the flora of the northern United States. American …
- … be a real kindness to me. — I suppose your Flora is too great; but a simple list in close …
- … in introduction to N. Zealand & other Flora. — I am sure I have given you a larger dose …
- … and convenient form, the elements of flora I was occupied with. ’ ( A. Gray 1856–7 , p. …
- … a discussion of the alpine and sub-alpine flora of the United States ( A. Gray 1856–7 , …
- … 226–9. Gray attempted a ‘Comparison of the flora of the northern United States with that …
- … calculations made on data for the Cape flora of South Africa, CD concluded by stating: ‘So …
- … Nothing would give me a better idea of Flora of U.S. than the proportion of the genera to …
To Asa Gray 8 June [1855]
Summary
Suggests AG append ranges to the species in the new edition of his Manual.
Is interested in comparing the flora of U. S. with that of Britain and wishes to know the proportions to the whole of the great leading families and the numbers of species within genera. Would welcome information on which species AG considers to be "close" in the U. S.
Author: | Charles Robert Darwin |
Addressee: | Asa Gray |
Date: | 8 June [1855] |
Classmark: | Archives of the Gray Herbarium, Harvard University (2) |
Letter no: | DCP-LETT-1695 |
Matches: 12 hits
- … his Manual . Is interested in comparing the flora of U. S. with that of Britain and wishes …
- … up an account of the ‘Statistics of the flora of the northern United States’ ( A. Gray …
- … 1985–. Gmelin, Johann Georg. 1747–69. Flora Sibirica sive historia plantarum Sibiriae. 4 …
- … Gray, Asa. 1856–7. Statistics of the flora of the northern United States. American Journal …
- … 369–403. Hooker, Joseph Dalton. 1853–5. Flora Novæ-Zelandiæ. 2 vols. Pt 2 of The botany of …
- … Perhaps Siberia more concerns the northern Flora of N. America. The ranges of the plants, …
- … have ascertained the proportion to the whole Flora of the European plants (leaving out …
- … 1092=19.2. In our aboriginal or indigenous flora the proportion is 1/10; & in many other …
- … showing that the coincidences in the British Flora were probably accidental! — You will, I …
- … interesting, & give a very good idea of your Flora, to divide the species into 3 groups, …
- … just mention what I want, it is, to have marked the “ close species ” in a Flora, so as to …
- … compare in different Floras whether the same genera have “close species”, & for other …
To Asa Gray 1 January [1857]
Summary
Thanks AG for 2d part of "Statistics [of the flora of the northern U. S.", Am. J. Sci. 2d ser. 22 (1856): 204–32; 2d ser. 23 (1857): 62–84, 369–403].
Is glad AG concludes species of large genera are wide-ranging, but is "riled" that he thinks the line of connection of alpine plants is through Greenland. Mentions comparisons of ranges worth investigating.
Believes trees show a tendency toward separation of the sexes and wonders if U. S. species bear this out. Asks which genera are protean in U. S.
Author: | Charles Robert Darwin |
Addressee: | Asa Gray |
Date: | 1 Jan [1857] |
Classmark: | Archives of the Gray Herbarium, Harvard University (7) |
Letter no: | DCP-LETT-2034 |
Matches: 8 hits
- … Thanks AG for 2d part of "Statistics [of the flora of the northern U. S." , Am. J. Sci. 2d …
- … I now appreciate the character of your Flora. What a difference in regard to Europe your …
- … Gray, Asa. 1856–7. Statistics of the flora of the northern United States. American Journal …
- … in Persoon, I took our little British Flora, & discriminating trees from Bushes according …
- … to Hooker to ask him to tabulate N. Zealand Flora for this end, & he thought my result …
- … He says further he shall work the Tasmanian Flora on same principle. ) The Bushes hold …
- … on the other hand, believed that a circumpolar flora had travelled only in a north–south …
- … the section entitled ‘Comparison of the flora of the northern United States with that of …
To Asa Gray 11 August [1858]
Summary
Species migration since the Pliocene. Effect of the glacial epoch. Present geographical distribution, especially similarities of mountain floras, explained by such migration; mountain summits as remnants of a once continuous flora and fauna.
Cross-fertilisation in Fumariaceae.
Author: | Charles Robert Darwin |
Addressee: | Asa Gray |
Date: | 11 Aug [1858] |
Classmark: | Archives of the Gray Herbarium, Harvard University (42 and 9a) |
Letter no: | DCP-LETT-2321 |
Matches: 6 hits
- … especially similarities of mountain floras, explained by such migration; mountain summits …
- … as remnants of a once continuous flora and fauna. Cross-fertilisation in Fumariaceae. …
- … the distribution of the existing fauna and flora of the British Isles, and the geological …
- … upon the relations of the Japanese flora to that of North America, and of other parts of …
- … southward) by a nearly uniform Fauna & Flora, just as the Arctic regions now are. — The …
- … summits the remnants of a once continuous flora & fauna. — This is E. Forbes’ theory, …
To Asa Gray 12 October [1856]
Summary
Thanks AG for the first part of his "Statistics [of the flora of the northern U. S.", Am. J. Sci. 2d ser. 22 (1856): 204–32; 2d ser. 23 (1857): 62–84, 369–403]
and for information on social and varying plants.
Would like to know number of genera of introduced plants in U. S.
Is surprised at some affinities of northern U. S. flora and asks for any climatic explanations.
Asks what proportion of genera common to U. S. and Europe are mundane.
Is glad AG will work out the northern ranges of the European species and the ranges of species with regard to size of genera.
Author: | Charles Robert Darwin |
Addressee: | Asa Gray |
Date: | 12 Oct [1856] |
Classmark: | Archives of the Gray Herbarium, Harvard University (6) |
Letter no: | DCP-LETT-1973 |
Matches: 5 hits
- … the first part of his "Statistics [of the flora of the northern U. S." , Am. J. Sci. 2d …
- … at some affinities of northern U. S. flora and asks for any climatic explanations. Asks …
- … 1985–. Gray, Asa. 1856–7. Statistics of the flora of the northern United States. American …
- … 369–403. Hooker, Joseph Dalton. 1853–5. Flora Novæ-Zelandiæ. 2 vols. Pt 2 of The botany of …
- … Botanist appreciate the character of the Flora of a country. It is wonderfully condensed ( …
To Asa Gray 9 May [1857]
Summary
Thanks for new part of "Statistics".
Interested in disjoined species; do they tend to belong to large or small genera, and are they generally members of small families?
Is glad AG will tackle introduced plants; has noticed that the proportion of a particular family to the whole flora tends to be similar in introduced and indigenous plants.
Author: | Charles Robert Darwin |
Addressee: | Asa Gray |
Date: | 9 May [1857] |
Classmark: | Archives of the Gray Herbarium, Harvard University (9) |
Letter no: | DCP-LETT-2089 |
Matches: 4 hits
- … proportion of a particular family to the whole flora tends to be similar in introduced and …
- … Gray, Asa. 1856–7. Statistics of the flora of the northern United States. American Journal …
- … the British introduced species, to the native Flora & it was in several cases ridiculously …
- … see more clearly in proportion to your whole Flora how large the proportion of monotypic …
To Asa Gray 7 January [1860]
Summary
Comments on AG’s memoir on Japanese plants [see 2599]; relationship of Japanese flora to N. American.
Author: | Charles Robert Darwin |
Addressee: | Asa Gray |
Date: | 7 Jan [1860] |
Classmark: | Gray Herbarium of Harvard University (15) |
Letter no: | DCP-LETT-2645 |
To Asa Gray 28 July [1862]
Summary
AG’s "capital" review of Orchids [Am. J. Sci. 2d ser. 34 (1862): 138–44].
Thinks there are three forms of Lythrum salicaria.
Discusses transport of seeds by sea.
Author: | Charles Robert Darwin |
Addressee: | Asa Gray |
Date: | 28 July [1862] |
Classmark: | Gray Herbarium of Harvard University (75) |
Letter no: | DCP-LETT-3667 |
Matches: 5 hits
- … to explain the general paucity of the Greenland flora on the hypothesis that ‘the polar …
- … region was once occupied by the Scandinavian flora’, and that the cold of the glacial …
- … the vegetation southwards, causing the temperate flora of southern Greenland to be ‘driven …
- … the complete extermination of the Greenland ante-glacial flora; and have referred the …
- … Scandinavian character of the existing flora … directly to subsequent immigration from the …
To Asa Gray 25 April [1855]
Summary
Is collecting facts on variation; questions AG on the alpine flora of the U. S.
Sends a list of plants from AG’s Manual of botany [1848] and asks him to append the ranges of the species.
Author: | Charles Robert Darwin |
Addressee: | Asa Gray |
Date: | 25 Apr [1855] |
Classmark: | Archives of the Gray Herbarium, Harvard University (1) |
Letter no: | DCP-LETT-1674 |
To Asa Gray 24 December [1859]
Summary
Thanks for AG’s Japan memoir [Mem. Am. Acad. Arts & Sci. 6 (1857–9): 377–452]. Does not think AG’s arguments for a warm post-glacial period are sufficient, but will not be sorry to be proved wrong.
Believes natural selection explains many classes of facts which repeated creation does not.
Writes of some responses to the Origin.
Author: | Charles Robert Darwin |
Addressee: | Asa Gray |
Date: | 24 Dec [1859] |
Classmark: | Archives of the Gray Herbarium, Harvard University (46) |
Letter no: | DCP-LETT-2599 |
Matches: 4 hits
- … the apparent mingling of Arctic and northern floras ( A. Gray 1858–9 , p. 447). CD had …
- … the distribution of the existing fauna and flora of the British Isles, and the geological …
- … upon the relations of the Japanese flora to that of North America, and of other parts of …
- … possibly explained the relation between the flora of Japan and that of the north-eastern …
To Asa Gray 14 July [1856]
Summary
Asks whether Allegheny Mountains are sufficiently continuous so that plants could travel from north to south along them.
Hopes AG’s work on geographical distribution is progressing, as he has questions on plants common to Europe which do not range up to Arctic.
Are intermediate varieties less numerous in individuals than the varieties they connect?
Author: | Charles Robert Darwin |
Addressee: | Asa Gray |
Date: | 14 July [1856] |
Classmark: | Archives of the New York Botanical Garden (Charles Finney Cox Collection) |
Letter no: | DCP-LETT-1926 |
To Asa Gray 5 September [1857]
Summary
Encloses an abstract of his ideas on natural selection and the principle of divergence; the "means by which nature makes her species".
Discusses varieties and close species in large and small genera, finding some data from AG in conflict with his expectations.
Has been observing the action of bees in fertilising kidney beans and Lobelia.
Author: | Charles Robert Darwin |
Addressee: | Asa Gray |
Date: | 5 Sept [1857] |
Classmark: | Archives of the Gray Herbarium, Harvard University (48) |
Letter no: | DCP-LETT-2136 |
Matches: 5 hits
- … 1958. ] Gray, Asa. 1856–7. Statistics of the flora of the northern United States. American …
- … namely dividing the species of several Floras into two as nearly as equal cohorts as …
- … the small genera. Thus in your U. States Flora, I make (with omissions of naturalised & …
- … general. & Hooker is going to work out some Floras on same plan. — But to my disgust your …
- … and final part of his ‘Statistics of the flora of the northern United States’ ( A. Gray …
To Asa Gray 11 November [1859]
Summary
Sends copy of Origin for comments.
Does not feel AG’s views of migration after the last glaciation explain distribution in U. S. as well as CD’s view of migration prior to glaciation.
Author: | Charles Robert Darwin |
Addressee: | Asa Gray |
Date: | 11 Nov [1859] |
Classmark: | Archives of the Gray Herbarium, Harvard University (17) |
Letter no: | DCP-LETT-2520 |
To Asa Gray 24 August [1856]
Summary
Rarity of intermediate varieties.
Variability of introduced plants.
Ranges of plants common to Europe and U. S.
Author: | Charles Robert Darwin |
Addressee: | Asa Gray |
Date: | 24 Aug [1856] |
Classmark: | Archives of the Gray Herbarium, Harvard University (36) |
Letter no: | DCP-LETT-1944 |
To Asa Gray [after 15 March 1857]
Summary
Urges AG to generalise from his observations on the flora of the northern U. S.
Expected to find separation of sexes in trees because he believes all living beings require an occasional cross, and none is perpetually self-fertilising. The multitude of flowers of a tree would be an obstacle to cross-fertilisation unless the sexes tended to be separate.
The Leguminosae are CD’s greatest opposers; he cannot find that garden varieties ever cross. Could AG inquire of intelligent nurserymen on the subject?
Thanks AG for information on protean genera; much wants to know whether their great variability is due to their conditions of existence or is innate in them at all times and places.
Author: | Charles Robert Darwin |
Addressee: | Asa Gray |
Date: | [after 15 Mar 1857] |
Classmark: | Archives of the Gray Herbarium, Harvard University (8) |
Letter no: | DCP-LETT-2060 |
To Asa Gray 31 May [1863]
Summary
AG’s review of Alphonse de Candolle’s paper [Am. J. Sci. 2d ser. 35 (1863): 430–44] is excellent.
Does not AG consider that orchids oppose Oswald Heer’s view that species arise suddenly by monstrosities?
Infers that AG cannot explain the angles of phyllotaxy; has been looking at Carl Nägeli on the subject.
Reports Gaston de Saporta’s belief that natural selection will ultimately triumph in France.
Is working slowly at Variation.
Reports his observations on the imperfect flowers of Viola and Oxalis.
Author: | Charles Robert Darwin |
Addressee: | Asa Gray |
Date: | 31 May [1863] |
Classmark: | Gray Herbarium of Harvard University (84) |
Letter no: | DCP-LETT-4196 |
To Asa Gray 29 November [1857]
Summary
Thanks AG for his criticisms of CD’s views; finds it difficult to avoid using the term "natural selection" as an agent.
Discusses crossing in Fumaria and barnacles.
Has received a naturally crossed kidney bean in which the seed-coat has been affected by the pollen of the fertilising plant.
Finds the rule of large genera having most varieties holds good and regards it as most important for his "principle of divergence".
Author: | Charles Robert Darwin |
Addressee: | Asa Gray |
Date: | 29 Nov [1857] |
Classmark: | Archives of the Gray Herbarium, Harvard University (18) |
Letter no: | DCP-LETT-2176 |
To Asa Gray 18 June [1857]
Summary
Thanks for AG’s remarks on disjoined species. CD’s notions are based on belief that disjoined species have suffered much extinction, which is the common cause of small genera and disjoined ranges.
Discusses out-crossing in plants.
Has failed to meet with a detailed account of regular and normal impregnation in the bud. Podostemon, Subularia, and underwater Leguminosae are the strongest cases against him.
Author: | Charles Robert Darwin |
Addressee: | Asa Gray |
Date: | 18 June [1857] |
Classmark: | Archives of the Gray Herbarium, Harvard University (9a) |
Letter no: | DCP-LETT-2109 |
To Asa Gray 4 April [1858]
Summary
Discusses the variation of species in large and small genera.
Thanks AG for his list of close species.
Laments the slow progress he makes with his book [Natural selection].
Author: | Charles Robert Darwin |
Addressee: | Asa Gray |
Date: | 4 Apr [1858] |
Classmark: | Archives of the Gray Herbarium, Harvard University (25) |
Letter no: | DCP-LETT-2252 |
From H. C. Watson to Asa Gray 13 March 1857
Summary
Describes problems of classifying species in highly variable genera. Lists highly variable genera. Comments on the list of Asa Gray. Says species may be made to appear more or less variable according to whether a genus is divided into few or many species.
Author: | Hewett Cottrell Watson |
Addressee: | Asa Gray |
Date: | 13 Mar 1857 |
Classmark: | DAR 181: 36 |
Letter no: | DCP-LETT-2065 |
Matches: 1 hit
- … William Simpson. Hudson, William. 1762. Flora Anglica: exhibens plantas per regnum Angliæ …
letter | (29) |
Darwin, C. R. | (28) |
Watson, H. C. | (1) |
Gray, Asa | (29) |
Darwin, C. R. | (28) |
Watson, H. C. | (1) |
Suggested reading
Summary
Contemporary writing Anon., The English matron: A practical manual for young wives, (London, 1846). Anon., The English gentlewoman: A practical manual for young ladies on their entrance to society, (Third edition, London, 1846). Becker, L. E.…
Darwin’s reading notebooks
Summary
In April 1838, Darwin began recording the titles of books he had read and the books he wished to read in Notebook C (Notebooks, pp. 319–28). In 1839, these lists were copied and continued in separate notebooks. The first of these reading notebooks (DAR 119…
Matches: 28 hits
- … & imported well worth studying probably— Thunberg Flora Japonica [Thunberg 1784] in …
- … Ryan on marriage [Ryan 1831] (read) Babbington on Flora of Channel Isl d . [Babington 1839 …
- … of the Caledonian Horticultural Society ].— Flora of St Helena 1825 [A. Watson 1825] in …
- … Himallaya & high Peru [Meyen 1836].— Phillippi on Flora of Sicily [Philippi 1836].— …
- … 1781]. Linn. on insects [Linnaeus 1781b]. Forsskahl on Flora of insects [Forsskahl 1781]. Avelin on …
- … trees of America [Downing 1845] 24 th Hopkirks Flora Anomala [Hopkirk 1817] July 8 …
- … ]. (since I read up old) (read) all Leidy, a Flora & Fauna within living Animals [Leidy …
- … Hornschuck Essay on the Sporting of Plants. in the ‘Flora’ or separate [Hornschuch 1848] quoted in …
- … 97 [DAR *128: 169] Wahlenberg Flora Suecica [Wahlenberg 1824–6]— most curious …
- … Ramond Acad. of Sci. Jan. 1826 [G. Cuvier 1830]. Flora of Pyrenees [Ramond de Carbonnières 1799–1801 …
- … 50 c. [Goethe 1837] [DAR *128: 150] Heers Flora Helvetica Tertiaria, translated …
- … [Pitton de Tournefort 1718]. skimmed 27. Gmelin Flora Siberica [Gmelin 1747–69] 1855. …
- … Primitiæ floræ sarnicæ; or, an outline of the flora of the Channel Islands of Jersey, …
- … Stephan Friedrich Ladislaus. 1836. Bemerkungen über die Flora der Südseeinseln. Annalen der Wien …
- … 119: 17b Forsskahl, Jonas Gustav. 1781. The flora of insects. In Linnaeus, ed., Select …
- … 119: 17a Gmelin, Johann Georg. 1747–69. Flora Sibirica sive historia plantarum …
- … 119: 22b Hooker, Joseph Dalton. 1844–7. Flora Antarctica . Pt 1 of The botany of the …
- … Library.] 128: 8 Hopkirk, Thomas. 1817. Flora Anomoia. A general view of the …
- … Friedrich. 1848. Ueber Ausartung der Pflanzen. Flora 31: 17–28; 33–44; 50–64; 66–8. *128: 177 …
- … London. 119: 18b Leidy, Joseph. 1853. A flora and fauna within living animals. …
- … 128: 13 Michaux, François André. 1803. Flora Boreali-Americana . 2 vols. Paris. *119: …
- … 163 Philippi, Rudolph Armandus. 1836. Ueber die Flora Siciliens, im Vergleiche zu den …
- … natural history of the Himalayan mountains, and of the flora of Cashmere . 2 vols. London. …
- … and physick. To which is added the calendar of flora . London. [Other eds.] 119: 11a …
- … . London. 128: 6 Thunberg, Carl Peter. 1784. Flora Japonica . Lipsiae. *119: 6v. …
- … 21b Torrey, John and Gray, Asa. 1838–43. A flora of North America: containing …
- … Zurich. *128: 169 ——. 1824–6. Flora Suecica . Upsalla. *128: 169 Walker, …
- … *119: 19v.; 119: 16a Watson, Alexander. 1825. Flora Sta Helenica . St Helena. *119: 7v …
Women’s scientific participation
Summary
Observers | Fieldwork | Experimentation | Editors and critics | Assistants Darwin’s correspondence helps bring to light a community of women who participated, often actively and routinely, in the nineteenth-century scientific community. Here is a…
Matches: 1 hits
- … Darwin returns the manuscript of Hooker’s On the Flora of Australia , which he has proofread. …
Dramatisation script
Summary
Re: Design – Adaptation of the Correspondence of Charles Darwin, Asa Gray and others… by Craig Baxter – as performed 25 March 2007
Matches: 6 hits
- … it in Plants. I have the greatest curiosity about the alpine Flora of the United States and I have …
- … and hearty admiration. [Your paper on the Statistics of the flora of the northern United States] …
- … and flatter myself I now appreciate the character of your Flora… One of your conclusions makes me …
- … I presume he has been urging you to finish your great Flora, before you do anything else. Now, I …
- … GRINDING AWAY: 1888 In which Gray grinds away at his Flora before suffering a stroke and …
- … 212 My dear Hooker…I grind away at [my] ‘Flora’ but, like the mills of the gods, I grind slowly, …
2.7 Joseph Moore, Midland Union medal
Summary
< Back to Introduction The Midland Union was an association of natural history societies and field clubs across the Midland counties, intended to facilitate – especially through its journal The Midland Naturalist – ‘the interchange of ideas’ and…
Matches: 1 hits
- … and autodidact, with a special interest in mosses; his Flora of Warwickshire (1891) was based on …
Darwin in letters, 1858-1859: Origin
Summary
The years 1858 and 1859 were, without doubt, the most momentous of Darwin’s life. From a quiet rural existence filled with steady work on his ‘big book’ on species, he was jolted into action by the arrival of an unexpected letter from Alfred Russel Wallace…
Marianne North
Summary
Marianne North was born in Hastings where her father became a Liberal MP. Her family supported Marianne’s attempts at singing and painting as suitable activities for a Victorian lady. After her parents died, Marianne sold the family home and began…
Scientific Networks
Summary
Friendship|Mentors|Class|Gender In its broadest sense, a scientific network is a set of connections between people, places, and things that channel the communication of knowledge, and that substantially determine both its intellectual form and content,…
Matches: 3 hits
Essay: What is Darwinism?
Summary
—by Asa Gray WHAT IS DARWINISM? The Nation, May 28, 1874 The question which Dr. Hodge asks he promptly and decisively answers: ‘What is Darwinism? it is atheism.’ Leaving aside all subsidiary and incidental matters, let us consider–1. What the…
Matches: 1 hits
- … himself a single problem–namely, How are the fauna and flora of our earth to be accounted for? . . . …
Biogeography
Summary
Sources|Discussion Questions|Experiment Observations aboard the Beagle During his five year journey around the world on HMS Beagle, Charles Darwin encountered many different landscapes and an enormous variety of flora and fauna. Some of his most…
Matches: 1 hits
- … many different landscapes and an enormous variety of flora and fauna. Some of his most vivid …
ESHS 2018: 19th century scientific correspondence networks
Summary
Sunday 16 September, 16:00-18.00, Institute of Education, Room 802 Session chair: Paul White (Darwin Correspondence Project); Discussion chair: Francis Neary (Darwin Correspondence Project) This session marks the formal launch of Ɛpsilon …
Alfred Russel Wallace
Summary
Wallace was a leading Victorian naturalist, with wide-ranging interests from biogeography and evolutionary theory to spiritualism and politics. He was born in 1823 in Usk, a small town in south-east Wales, and attended a grammar school in Hertford. At the…
Matches: 1 hits
- … naturalists of his day, with unsurpassed knowledge on tropic flora, fauna, and native peoples. This …
Origin: the lost changes for the second German edition
Summary
Darwin sent a list of changes made uniquely to the second German edition of Origin to its translator, Heinrich Georg Bronn. That lost list is recreated here.
Dining at Down House
Summary
Sources|Discussion Questions|Experiment Dining, Digestion, and Darwin's Domestic Life While Darwin is best remembered for his scientific accomplishments, he greatly valued and was strongly influenced by his domestic life. Darwin's…
Matches: 1 hits
- … excitement of South American cities, cultures, geography, flora and fauna) Darwin complains to his …
The Letters
Summary
Darwin’s correspondence provides us with an invaluable source of information, not only about his own intellectual development and social network, but about Victorian science and society in general. Letters form the largest single category of Darwin’s…
Matches: 1 hits
- … who provided him with observations on the fauna, flora, and peoples of the world. The correspondence …
New material added to the American edition of Origin
Summary
A ‘revised and augmented’ American edition of Origin came on the market in July 1860, and was the only authorised edition available in the US until 1873. It incorporated many of the changes Darwin made to the second English edition, but still contained…
1.11 Laura Russell, oil
Summary
< Back to Introduction This little oil portrait of Darwin was painted by Laura Russell, daughter of Jules, vicomte de Peyronnet. She was married to Arthur Russell, MP for Tavistock; he was one of the sons of Lord William Russell, and his elder…
Matches: 1 hits
- … 1869, when Laura was eight months pregnant with her daughter Flora. They visited Down House several …
Search tips
Summary
In this section: The three basic searches Using filters to refine search Using facets to refine search results What is (and isn’t) in here? How do I… …Find all letters exchanged with a particular correspondent? …Find letters written by…
Matches: 1 hits
- … care. We have manually coded some group identifiers (“flora” eg), index terms such as people, …
Before Origin: the ‘big book’
Summary
Darwin began ‘sorting notes for Species Theory’ on 9 September 1854, the very day he concluded his eight-year study of barnacles (Darwin's Journal). He had long considered the question of species. In 1842, he outlined a theory of transmutation in a…
Matches: 1 hits
- … work. When Darwin had read the introduction to Hooker’s Flora of New Zealand in October 1853, he …
Origin
Summary
Darwin’s most famous work, Origin, had an inauspicious beginning. It grew out of his wish to establish priority for the species theory he had spent over twenty years researching. Darwin never intended to write Origin, and had resisted suggestions in 1856…
Matches: 1 hits
- … to Hooker. Indeed, when Hooker was writing his essay on the flora of Australia in December 1858, he …