From C. L. Brace [August? 1873]1
Dear ⟨several words missing⟩
Our ⟨several words missing⟩ very much ⟨several words missing⟩ months since ⟨several words missing⟩ ⟨ ⟩den app⟨ea⟩rance ⟨several words missing⟩ interesting ⟨b⟩ook ⟨on “Expres⟩sion”— We have enjoy⟨ed⟩ so much the more ⟨for⟩ remembering the char⟨ming⟩ visit ⟨we⟩ had with its ⟨au⟩thor, last July.2
I see you in⟨cl⟩ine to ⟨the⟩ “Single Pair” theory of human origin, which always seemed to me the more probable3
Did I tell you that curious instance we heard of dogs sympathy with human tones? We had one ⟨several words missing⟩ ⟨ ⟩ers [who] ⟨several words missing⟩ lying ⟨several words missing⟩ in a chair ⟨several words missing⟩ would come ⟨several words missing⟩ a mos⟨ ⟩ ⟨ ⟩om pass⟨ ⟩ ⟨2 or 3 words missing⟩ ⟨v⟩oice ⟨ ⟩ say “Poor ⟨Fa⟩nny! p⟨oo⟩r Fanny”! ⟨ ⟩ the little dog would ⟨r⟩aise such ⟨a⟩ piteous ⟨ ⟩an & ⟨c⟩ry, as from ⟨ ⟩ deepest misery, tho’ ⟨ju⟩st before she had been very comfortable!
I had a first class “fact” for you lately. A very intelligent physician of New York—Dr. Stout4—told me that on visiting the Sioux tribe in ⟨1 line missing⟩ [illeg] ⟨several words missing⟩ one of ⟨several words missing⟩ his po⟨ ⟩ ⟨several words missing⟩-ward on⟨ ⟩ ears ⟨1 or 2 words missing⟩ sounds ⟨ ⟩ The c⟨ ⟩ ⟨1 or 2 words missing⟩ this, my friend say⟨s⟩ ⟨ ⟩ a very remarkable ⟨ ⟩ [illeg] much as a hor⟨se⟩ does. The officer ⟨ ⟩ that he had know⟨n⟩ several of the Sioux who had this power over the muscles of the ears.5
Many people can mov⟨e⟩ the ears, as they do th⟨e⟩ skin over the skull or scalp, but this seemed ⟨1 line missing⟩ ⟨several words missing⟩ ⟨ ⟩est ⟨several words missing⟩ ⟨ ⟩fe went ⟨several words missing⟩ ⟨ ⟩ver brin⟨ ⟩ in the North ⟨1 or 2 words missing⟩ and ⟨ ⟩ad Provis⟨ ⟩ ⟨1 or 2 words missing⟩ ⟨ ⟩ang⟨ ⟩ after brin⟨ ⟩ ⟨1 or 2 words missing⟩ [2 words illeg] ⟨ ⟩ned— and ⟨sp⟩ent two months there.
It was a ⟨m⟩ost interest⟨ing⟩ experience— [Elsewhere] ⟨ ⟩ ⟨E⟩urope, has there been ⟨su⟩ch progress.
We have not seen the Grays lately, but hear good accounts of them.
I am so glad the Doctor has given up lecturing—6 Mrs Brace &
CD annotations
Footnotes
Bibliography
Correspondence: The correspondence of Charles Darwin. Edited by Frederick Burkhardt et al. 29 vols to date. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. 1985–.
Descent: The descent of man, and selection in relation to sex. By Charles Darwin. 2 vols. London: John Murray. 1871.
Expression: The expression of the emotions in man and animals. By Charles Darwin. London: John Murray. 1872.
Gray, Jane Loring, ed. 1893. Letters of Asa Gray. 2 vols. London: Macmillan and Co.
Summary
Reports that the ability to move ears is common among the Sioux.
Letter details
- Letter no.
- DCP-LETT-8717
- From
- Charles Loring Brace
- To
- Charles Robert Darwin
- Sent from
- unstated
- Source of text
- DAR 160: 273 (fragile letters)
- Physical description
- ALS 4pp inc & damaged †
Please cite as
Darwin Correspondence Project, “Letter no. 8717,” accessed on 19 October 2024, https://www.darwinproject.ac.uk/letter/?docId=letters/DCP-LETT-8717.xml
Also published in The Correspondence of Charles Darwin, vol. 21