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Life of Erasmus Darwin

Summary

The Life of Erasmus Darwin (1879) was a curious departure for Darwin. It was intended as a biographical note to accompany an essay on Erasmus's scientific work by the German writer Ernst Krause. But Darwin became immersed in his grandfather's…

Matches: 10 hits

  • … book remains '. Contempt was also poured on the memoir by Mary Anne Schimmelpenninck, one of …
  • … of Lamarck, Buffon, and Darwin's Origin of Species . Butler had once been an enthusiastic …
  • … St. George Mivart. Darwin had struggled to understand Butler's Life and Habit (1878), which …
  • … scientific men '. Krause wanted to correct and refute Butler's ' immeasurably …
  • … altered and shortened. The final version did not mention Butler's work directly, but it did …
  • … published. On reading Krause's original Kosmos article, Butler found that the essay had …
  • … now I much regret that I did not do so '. On the top of Butler's letter, Emma Darwin …
  • … world will only know or at any rate remember that you & Butler had a controversy in which he …
  • … Darwin's refusal to engage, the controversy lingered on. Butler stirred the pot with his next …
  • … a scathing review in Nature , all of which confirmed Butler's belief in the conspiracy of …

Darwin in letters, 1872: Job done?

Summary

'My career’, Darwin wrote towards the end of 1872, 'is so nearly closed. . .  What little more I can do, shall be chiefly new work’, and the tenor of his correspondence throughout the year is one of wistful reminiscence, coupled with a keen eye…

Matches: 27 hits

  • … What little more I can do, shall be chiefly new work’ ( letter to Francis Galton, 8 November [1872] …
  • … anything more on 'so difficult a subject, as evolution’ ( letter to A. R. Wallace,  27 July …
  • … best efforts, set the final price at 7 s.  6 d.  ( letter from R. F. Cooke, 12 February 1872 ) …
  • … condition as I can make it’, he wrote to the translator ( letter to J. J. Moulinié, 23 September …
  • … translation remained unpublished at the end of the year ( letter from C.-F. Reinwald, 23 November …
  • … to the comparative anatomist St George Jackson Mivart ( letter to St G. J. Mivart,  11 January …
  • … comparison of Whale  & duck  most beautiful’ ( letter from A. R. Wallace, 3 March 1872 ) …
  • … a person as I am made to appear’, complained Darwin ( letter to St G. J. Mivart, 5 January 1872 ). …
  • … Darwin would renounce `fundamental intellectual errors’ ( letter from St G. J. Mivart, 6 January …
  • … was silly enough to think he felt friendly towards me’ ( letter to St G. J. Mivart, 8 January [1872 …
  • … hoping for reconciliation, if only `in another world’ ( letter from St G. J. Mivart,  10 January …
  • … have been ungracious in him not to thank Mivart for his letter.  He promised to send a copy of the …
  • … partly in mind, `chiefly perhaps because I do it badly’ ( letter to A. R. Wallace, 3 August [1872] …
  • … the masses and thinking people of this country’, wrote Mary Treat from the United States; it was …
  • … Darwinism is to be the theme. Surely the world moves!’ ( letter from Mary Treat, 13 December 1872 …
  • … to find that Weismann accepted it at least in part ( letter to August Weismann, 5 April 1872 ). ‘I …
  • … few naturalists in England seem inclined to believe it’ ( letter to Herman Müller, [before 5 May …
  • … reached the buzzing place where I myself was standing’ ( letter to Hermann Müller, [before 5 May …
  • … ‘as for myself it is dreadful doing nothing’ ( letter to T. H. Huxley, 22 October [1872] ). He was …
  • … to stand closer (a serried mass) and to be more erect’ ( letter to Briton Riviere, 19 May [1872] ) …
  • … and amused rather than offended by `that clever book’ ( letter to J. M. Herbert, 21 November 1872 …
  • … wrote offering Arthur May’s drawings shortly afterwards ( letter from Samuel Butler to Francis …
  • … 'exactly where, from his ignorance, he feels no doubts’ ( letter to F. C. Donders, 17 June …
  • … music provided by her husband, Richard Buckley Litchfield ( letter to H. E. Litchfield, 13 May 1872 …
  • … 24 August 1872 ). In January, Darwin wrote to Mary Treat, encouraging her in the strongest …
  • … as known to me, which have ever been made’ ( letter to Mary Treat, 5 January 1872 ). In …
  • … to thank Darwin for sending her one; she and her companion, Mary Lloyd, were vying to read it first …

Darwin in letters, 1862: A multiplicity of experiments

Summary

1862 was a particularly productive year for Darwin. This was not only the case in his published output (two botanical papers and a book on the pollination mechanisms of orchids), but more particularly in the extent and breadth of the botanical experiments…

Matches: 29 hits

  • … but really I do think you have a good right to be so’ ( letter from J. D. Hooker, [15 and] 20 …
  • … species. Darwin attempted to dissuade him from this view ( letter to T. H. Huxley, 14 [January 1862 …
  • … partially sterile together. He failed. Huxley replied ( letter from T. H. Huxley, 20 January 1862 …
  • … and pronounced them ‘simply perfect’, but continued ( letter to T. H. Huxley, 18 December [1862] ) …
  • … resigned to their difference of opinion, but complained ( letter to T. H. Huxley, 28 December [1862 …
  • … letters, Darwin, impressed, gave him the commission ( see letter to John Scott, 11 December [1862] …
  • … protégé, telling Hooker: ‘he is no common man’ ( letter to J. D. Hooker, 12 [December 1862] ). …
  • … Towards the end of the year, he wrote to Hooker ( letter to J. D. Hooker, 12 [December 1862] ): …
  • … and added, ‘new cases are tumbling in almost daily’ ( letter to Asa Gray, 22 January [1862] ). In …
  • … hopeful, became increasingly frustrated, telling Hooker ( letter to J. D. Hooker, 7 March [1862] ) …
  • … on the problem: ‘the labour is great’, he told Gray ( letter to Asa Gray, 10–20 June [1862] ), ‘I …
  • … resulted from his ‘ enormous  labour over them’ ( letter to J. D. Hooker, 14 [October 1862] ; …
  • … Oliver: ‘I can see at least 3 classes of dimorphism’ ( letter to Daniel Oliver, 12 [April 1862] ), …
  • … result once out of four or five sets of experiments’ ( letter to M. T. Masters, 24 July [1862] ). …
  • … one species may be said to be generically distinct’ ( letter to Asa Gray, 14 July [1862] ). The …
  • … and determined to publish on  Linum  ‘at once’ ( letter to John Scott, 11 December [1862] ), …
  • … d . like to make out this wonderfully complex case—’ ( letter to Daniel Oliver, 29 [July 1862] ). …
  • … The case clearly excited Darwin, who exclaimed to Gray ( letter to Asa Gray, 9 August [1862] ), ‘I …
  • … that the case warranted a paper for the Linnean Society ( letter to J. D. Hooker, 6 October [1862] …
  • … that had given him ‘great pleasure to ride’ ( letter to Asa Gray, 22 January [1862] ). But he …
  • … know not  in the least , whether the Book will sell’ ( letter to John Murray, 9 [February 1862] …
  • … govern the structure of almost every  flower’ ( letter to Daniel Oliver, 8 June [1862] ). …
  • … so doubtful about anything I published’, he told Hooker ( letter to J. D. Hooker, 15 [May 1862] ). …
  • … May, and George Bentham pronounced it ‘most valuable’ (letter from George Bentham, 15 May 1862).  …
  • … in writing the book, it was, after all, ‘a success’ ( letter to J. D. Hooker, 30 [June 1862] ). …
  • … power of natural selection. He made the point to Hooker ( letter to J. D. Hooker, 14 March [1862] …
  • … the truth of natural selection through the back door ( letter to Asa Gray, 23[–4] July [1862] ). …
  • … ‘nearly overcome his opposition to the  Origin  ’ ( letter from Asa Gray, 2–3 July 1862 ). …
  • … in consequence, on growing a ‘long beard’ ( letter from Mary Butler, [before 25 December 1862] ). …

The "wicked book": Origin at 157

Summary

Origin is 157 years old.  (Probably) the most famous book in science was published on 24 November 1859.  To celebrate we have uploaded hundreds of new images of letters, bringing the total number you can look at here to over 9000 representing more than…

Matches: 1 hits

  • … collaborators who became Darwin's correspondents, Mary Treat , an American naturalist, …

Darwin in letters, 1879: Tracing roots

Summary

Darwin spent a considerable part of 1879 in the eighteenth century. His journey back in time started when he decided to publish a biographical account of his grandfather Erasmus Darwin to accompany a translation of an essay on Erasmus’s evolutionary ideas…

Matches: 29 hits

  • his publishers, he warned that it wasdry as dust’ ( letter to R. F. Cooke, 9 September 1879 ). …
  • turned out, alas, very dull & has disappointed me much’ ( letter to Francis Galton, 15 [June
  • home again’, he fretted, just days before his departure ( letter to W. T. Thiselton-Dyer, [after 26
  • many blessings, was finding old agea dismal time’ ( letter to Henry Johnson, 24 September 1879 ) …
  • wrinkles one all over like a baked pear’ ( enclosure in letter from R. W. Dixon, 20 December 1879
  • itself, or gone some other way round?’ At least the last letter of 1879 contained a warmer note and
  • office to complete Horaces marriage settlement ( letter from W. M. Hacon, 31 December 1879 ). …
  • but they wereas nice and good as could be’ ( letter from Karl Beger, [ c. 12 February 1879] ) …
  • on your lifes work, which is crowned with glory’ ( letter from Ernst Haeckel, 9 February 1879 ). …
  • to wish Darwin along and serene evening of life’. This letter crossed with one from Darwin, …
  • the statementIn the beginning was carbon’ ( letter from Hermann Müller, 14 February 1879 ). …
  • as theorgan ofuncultivated materialism”’ ( letter from Francis Darwin, [after 2 June 1879 ]). …
  • up the glory & would please Francis’, he pointed out ( letter from E. A. Darwin, 13 March [1879
  • wholly & shamefully ignorant of my grandfathers life’ ( letter to Ernst Krause, 14 March 1879
  • that had been published by Francis Galtons aunt, Mary Anne Schimmelpenninck. Erasmus had died in
  • known philosopher and poet’ ( Correspondence vol. 1, letter from Francis Beaufort to Robert
  • these things with the when & the where, & the who—’ ( letter from V. H. Darwin, 28 May
  • paternal grandparents thoughtperfect in every way’ ( letter from E. A. Wheler, 25 March 1879 ). …
  • heard of himconstantly, & always with pride’ ( letter from Reginald Darwin, 29 March 1879 ). …
  • essay might end upinterfering with each other’ ( letter to Ernst Krause, 27 March 1879 ). Darwin
  • evolution prior to Erasmus Darwin, pointing out that Samuel Butlers recent book, Evolution, old
  • made such an introductionalmost indispensable’ ( letter from Ernst Krause, 7 June 1879 ). Darwin
  • everything into ridicule. He hates scientific men’ ( letter to Ernst Krause, 14 May 1879 ). …
  • must bein some degree interesting to the public’ ( letter to Reginald Darwin, 10 April [1879] ). …
  • … ‘very tastefully and well, and with little fatigue’ ( letter to G. H. Darwin, 12 July 1879 , and
  • … ‘more perplexed than ever about life of D r . D’ ( letter to Francis Darwin, 12 July [1879] ). …
  • telling, and he regretted going beyond histether’ ( letter to W. T. Thiselton-Dyer, 5 June 1879
  • never again to be tempted out of hisproper work’ ( letter to James Paget, 14 July 1879 ). At
  • between your theory and the ecclasiastical dogma’, Mary Jung, a young Austrian woman, wrote on 7

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: 27 hits

  • … [Reimarius 1760] The Highlands & Western Isl ds  letter to Sir W Scott [MacCulloch 1824
  • 28 Bacons Essays [Bacon 182536].— Butler. 3. first sermons [Butler 1834] …
  • … & Phys [Todd ed. 183659] [DAR *119: 14] Butlers Analogy [Butler 1736] …
  • 183440]: In Portfolio ofabstracts34  —letter from Skuckard of books on Silk Worm
  • M rs  Frys Life [Fry 1847] Horace Walpoles letter to C t . of Ossory [Walpole 1848] …
  • Asiatic Society ]—contains very little Macleays letter to D r  Fleming [Macleay 1830] …
  • 2 d . vols. —— 30 th . Smollets William & Mary. & Anne [Smollett 1805].— …
  • … & Southey [Cottle 1847]— very good— —— Mary Woolstonecraft Tour in Sweden [Wollstonecraft
  • … [Heer 1854].— Hooker has it.— Very important Hookers letter Jan. 1859 Yules Ava [Yule 1858] …
  • of the material from these portfolios is in DAR 205, the letter from William Edward Shuckard to
  • … ( Notebooks , pp. 31928). 55  The letter was addressed to Nicholas Aylward Vigors
  • to William Jackson Hooker. See  Correspondence  vol. 3, letter to J. D. Hooker, [5 or 12 November
  • The improvisatore; or,   life in Italy . Translated by Mary Howitt. London119: 15b
  • of   every-day life . Translated from the Swedish by Mary Howitt. 2 vols. London119: 13b
  • cares and family joys . Translated from the Swedish by Mary Howitt. 2 vols. London119: 12b
  • of every-day life: a diary . Translated from the Swedish by Mary Howitt. London119: 13b
  • 119: 21b Broughton, William Grant. 1832A letter in vindication of   the principles of
  • Library. Abstract in DAR 71: 856.]  128: 12 Butler, Joseph. 1736The analogy of
  • of the author of a   vindication of the rights of woman [Mary Wollstonecraft].  London. [Other
  • islands . London.  *119: 2v. Howitt, Mary. 1851Biographical sketches of the queens of
  • of   Victoria, or, Royal book of beauty.  Edited by Mary Howitt. London128: 11 Huc, …
  • by Bekhur to   Garoo and the Lake Manasarowara: with a letter fromJ.   G. Gerard, Esq. …
  • 1830. On the dying struggle of the dichotomous sytem. In a letter to N. A. VigorsPhilosophical
  • Paris.  *119: 14v. Meinhold, Wilhelm. 1844Mary Schweidler, the amber witch.   The
  • 205.7(2): 1928.]  *119: 2v.; 119: 9a Montagu, Mary Wortley. 1837The letters and works
  • … *119: 8v., 22v.; *128: 165 ——. 1850a. Letter to the Rev. John Bachman, on the question of
  • as a continuation of Hume . 6 vols. (Vol. 1: William and Mary; vol. 2: Anne.) London. [Other eds.]  …

Darwin in letters, 1821-1836: Childhood to the Beagle voyage

Summary

Darwin's first known letters were written when he was twelve. They continue through school-days at Shrewsbury, two years as a medical student at Edinburgh University, the undergraduate years at Cambridge, and the of the voyage of H.M.S. Beagle.…

Matches: 3 hits

  • … before October 1825, but long before then the letters from Mary Congreve, Erasmus, and his sisters …
  • … In September 1828 he had John Maurice Herbert and Thomas Butler following his detailed instructions …
  • … fellows your friends at Barmouth must be’ ( see letter to J. M. Herbert, [13 September 1828] ). …

Darwin in letters, 1856-1857: the 'Big Book'

Summary

In May 1856, Darwin began writing up his 'species sketch’ in earnest. During this period, his working life was completely dominated by the preparation of his 'Big Book', which was to be called Natural selection. Using letters are the main…

Matches: 16 hits

  • … an illustration of how selection might work in nature ( letter from Charles Lyell, 1–2 May 1856, n. …
  • … the real structure of varieties’, he remarked to Hooker ( letter to J. D. Hooker, 8 September [1856 …
  • … ‘& I mean to make my Book as perfect as ever I can.’ ( letter to W. D. Fox, 8 February [1857] …
  • … plants, he asked Asa Gray, vary in the United States ( letter to Asa Gray, 2 May 1856 )? What …
  • … plants pretty effectually’ complained Darwin in 1857 ( letter to J. D. Hooker, [2 May 1857] ). …
  • … John Lubbock that his method of calculation was wrong ( letter to John Lubbock, 14 July [1857] ). …
  • … ‘Darwin, an absolute & eternal hermaphrodite’ ( letter to to T. H. Huxley, 1 July [1856] ), …
  • … which the bird had naturally eaten have grown well.’ ( letter to J. D. Hooker, 10 December [1856] …
  • … he wrote to Syms Covington in New South Wales ( letter to Syms Covington, 9 March 1856 ). …
  • … his work on species and the preparation of his manuscript ( letter to A. R. Wallace, 1 May 1857 ) …
  • … occasion other than the one previously supposed. Charles and Mary Elizabeth Lyell certainly visited …
  • … a preliminary sketch was apparently first made in a letter written by Lyell from London on 1–2 May …
  • … and went up to London to see Lyell to discuss it further ( letter to Charles Lyell, 3 May [1856] ) …
  • … Hearing about the party afterwards, Lyell reported in a letter to his brother-in-law that, ‘When …
  • … so far, and not embrace the whole Lamarckian doctrine.’ ( letter from Charles Lyell, 1–2 May 1856, …
  • … in his views to explain them in explicit detail in a long letter to Asa Gray ( letter to Asa Gray, …

Darwin’s observations on his children

Summary

Charles Darwin’s observations on the development of his children, began the research that culminated in his book The Expression of the emotions in man and animals, published in 1872, and his article ‘A biographical sketch of an infant’, published in Mind…

Matches: 5 hits

  • … our door N o  12 and N o  11 is in the slit for the Letter box.— he decidedly ran past N o  11 …
  • … has learned them from my sometimes changing the first letter in any word he is using—thus I say …
  • … , pp. 131–2. [6]  Correspondence  vol. 2, letter from Emma Wedgwood, [23 January 1839] . …
  • … of the Tollet family. [59] A children’s story by Mary Martha Sherwood, a popular author of …
  • … Howard Darwin, born 1845. [65] Joseph Parslow, butler at Down House. [66] The text on …