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John Lubbock
Summary
John Lubbock was eight years old when the Darwins moved into the neighbouring property of Down House, Down, Kent; the total of one hundred and seventy surviving letters he went on to exchange with Darwin is a large number considering that the two men lived…
Matches: 26 hits
- … John Lubbock was eight years old when the Darwins moved into the neighbouring …
- … two men lived as close neighbours for most of their lives. Lubbock's father, John William …
- … banking family, and the family seat of High Elms, which Lubbock inherited in 1865, was at the heart …
- … wide-ranging studies in anthropology and prehistory, John Lubbock’s childhood interest in natural …
- … must come some Sunday to Mahomet. ( to John Lubbock, 26 March [1867] ) The …
- … leave in the documentary record, it is clear that John Lubbock played a significant part in Darwin& …
- … and strategist. As early as 1857 Darwin wrote to thank Lubbock for saving him from a ' …
- … on variation. Darwin made constant requests of Lubbock, bombarding him with questions and …
- … me on general issue, or against me. ( to John Lubbock, 14 December [1859] ) …
- … In the weeks immediately after publication, Darwin wrote to Lubbock not once but twice demanding to …
- … opinion of men like you & Hooker & Huxley & Lyell’. Lubbock spoke in Darwin' …
- … Darwin's supporters) in 1864. Pre-historic Times (1865), Lubbock's account of human …
- … to humans. After his election as MP for Maidstone in 1870, Lubbock tried at Darwin’s request to …
- … such as James Torbitt's research into potato blight. Lubbock was one of those consulted on …
- … Descent In Descent of man , Darwin referred to Lubbock’s published work on the secondary …
- … (see Descent p. 94). But the most important aspect of Lubbock’s work for Darwin was the support …
- … from a single common ancestor ( Descent p. 233). Lubbock’s Origin of civilisation , …
- … from a natural state of civilisation. Darwin used Lubbock's counter-argument in Descent …
- … must modify what I have written Other aspects of Lubbock’s book were less welcome. ‘I …
- … interest for the good of my internal viscera’ ( to John Lubbock, 21 July [1870] ). It seems what …
- … or scrupled to carry off anothers wife? ( from John Lubbock, 18 March [1871] ). It was …
- … that he remained 'not a little in the dark' ( to John Lubbock, 26 March [1867] ). …
- … William, up in a banking career, and Darwin's last known letter to John Lubbock, sent …
- … of Emma's, as an archaeologist. Relations between Lubbock and Darwin’s children were …
- … in the person of Francis, Duke of Teck, husband of Princess Mary Adelaide. Darwin tried to wriggle …
- … down.” In the last year of his life Darwin provided a letter of introduction for Lubbock's …
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: 21 hits
- … Observers Women: Letter 1194 - Darwin to Whitby, M. A. T., [12 August …
- … silkworm breeds, or peculiarities in inheritance. Letter 3787 - Darwin, H. E. to …
- … observations of cats’ instinctive behaviour. Letter 4258 - Becker, L. E. to Darwin, …
- … to artificially fertilise plants in her garden. Letter 4523 - Wedgwood, L. C. to …
- … be made on seeds of Pulmonaria officinalis . Letter 5745 - Barber, M. E. to …
- … Expression during a trip to Egypt. Letter 7223 - Darwin to Wedgwood, L. C., …
- … expression of emotion in her pet dog and birds. Letter 5817 - Darwin to Huxley, T. …
- … is making similar observations for him. Letter 6535 - Vaughan Williams , M. S. …
- … of a crying baby to Darwin's daughter, Henrietta. Letter 7179 - Wedgwood, …
- … briefly on her ongoing observations of wormholes. Letter 8611 - Cupples, A. J. …
- … expression of emotion in dogs with Emma Darwin. Letter 8676 - Treat, M. to Darwin, …
- … birds, insects or plants on Darwin’s behalf. Letter 8683 - Roberts, D. to …
- … of an angry pig and her niece’s ears. Letter 8701 - Lubbock, E. F . to Darwin, …
- … 10439 - Treat, M. to Darwin, [3 April 1876] Mary Treat describes a field trip in …
- … 12389 - Johnson, M. to Darwin, [January 1880] Mary Johnson tells Darwin about her work on …
- … - Treat, M. to Darwin, [20 December 1871] Mary Treat describes her experiments on the …
- … 8989 - Treat, M. to Darwin, [28 July 1873] Mary Treat provides a detailed report on …
- … 9485 - Treat, M. to Darwin, [8 June 1874] Mary Treat details her experiments on …
- … writing. Letter 3001 - Darwin to Lubbock, J., [28 November 1860] Darwin …
- … - Treat, M. to Darwin, [13 December 1872] Mary Treat details her observations of, and …
- … Darwin to Treat, M., [1 January 1873] Darwin gives Mary Treat close instructions on how …
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] ). …
- … for the Natural History Review ( see letter to John Lubbock, 16 [December 1862] ). Aware of …
- … in consequence, on growing a ‘long beard’ ( letter from Mary Butler, [before 25 December 1862] ). …
- … o clock I do not think it would hurt me’ ( letter to John Lubbock, 23 October [1862] ). However, …
- … of Darwin’s circle was in Switzerland in the summer: John Lubbock briefly met up with Tyndall and …
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: 28 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 …
- … cause was taken up by his friends, in particular John Lubbock and John Tyndall, as one battle in the …
- … 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 …
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: 24 hits
- … and colonial authorities. In the nineteenth-century, letter writing was one of the most important …
- … in times of uncertainty, controversy, or personal loss. Letter writing was not only a means of …
- … botanist Asa Gray. Darwin and Hooker Letter 714 — Darwin, C. R. to Hooker, J. D. …
- … and he is curious about Hooker’s thoughts. Letter 729 — Darwin, C. R. to Hooker, J. D., …
- … to Hooker “it is like confessing a murder”. Letter 736 — Darwin, C. R. to Hooker, J. D. …
- … wide-ranging genera. Darwin and Gray Letter 1674 — Darwin, C. R. to Gray, …
- … and asks him to append the ranges of the species. Letter 1685 — Gray, Asa to Darwin, C. …
- … and relationships of alpine flora in the USA. Letter 2125 — Darwin, C. R. to Gray, Asa, …
- … and their approach to information exchange. Letter 1202 — Darwin, C. R. to Hooker, J. D …
- … first describer’s name to specific name. Letter 1220 — Hooker, J. D. to Darwin, C. R., …
- … perpetuity of names in species descriptions. Letter 1260 — Darwin, C. R. to Hooker, J. …
- … ends with a discussion of lamination of gneiss. Letter 1319 — Hooker, J. D. to Darwin, …
- … up his doubts about Darwin’s doctrines. In his second letter he talks about his visit with Falconer. …
- … was on the Beagle voyage and afterwards. Letter 152 — Darwin, C. R. to Henslow, J. …
- … is Henslow’s “bounden duty to lecture me”. Letter 196 — Henslow, J. S. to Darwin, C. R. …
- … sends home a copy of his notes on the specimens. Letter 249 — Henslow, J. S. to Darwin, …
- … sends news of Cambridge and mutual friends. Letter 251 — Darwin, C. R. to Henslow, J. S …
- … illness and specimens are sent to Henslow. Letter 272 — Darwin, C. R. to Henslow, J. S. …
- … collection and plans to cross the Cordilleras. Letter 1189 — Darwin, C. R. to Henslow, …
- … The first is between Darwin and his neighbour, John Lubbock and the second is between Darwin and …
- … and it has reawakened his passion for entomology. Letter 1720 — Darwin, C. R. to …
- … 147 (1857): 79–100]. Darwin and Müller Letter 5457 — Müller, H. L. H. to Darwin, …
- … of the floral anatomy of Lopezia miniata . Letter 5471 — Darwin, C. R. to Müller, H. …
- … 1867] In this letter, naturalist, artist, and writer Mary Elizabeth Barber replies to Queries …
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, 1874: A turbulent year
Summary
The year 1874 was one of consolidation, reflection, and turmoil for Darwin. He spent the early months working on second editions of Coral reefs and Descent of man; the rest of the year was mostly devoted to further research on insectivorous plants. A…
Matches: 27 hits
- … be done by observation during prolonged intervals’ ( letter to D. T. Gardner, [ c . 27 August …
- … pleasures of shooting and collecting beetles ( letter from W. D. Fox, 8 May [1874] ). Such …
- … And … one looks backwards much more than forwards’ ( letter to W. D. Fox, 11 May [1874] ). …
- … was an illusory hope.— I feel very old & helpless’ ( letter to B. J. Sulivan, 6 January [1874] …
- … inferred that he was well from his silence on the matter ( letter from Ernst Haeckel, 26 October …
- … in such rubbish’, he confided to Joseph Dalton Hooker ( letter to J. D. Hooker, 18 January [1874] …
- … that Mr Williams was ‘a cheat and an imposter’ ( letter from T. H. Huxley, 27 January 1874 ). …
- … his, ‘& that he was thus free to perform his antics’ ( letter to T. H. Huxley, 29 January [1874 …
- … Darwin had allowed ‘a spirit séance’ at his home ( letter from T. G. Appleton, 2 April 1874 ). …
- … edition, published in 1842 ( Correspondence vol. 21, letter to Smith, Elder & Co., 17 …
- … Hooker, and finally borrowed one from Charles Lyell ( letter to Smith, Elder & Co., 8 January …
- … to take so sweetly all the horrid bother of correction’ ( letter to H. E. Litchfield, 21 [March …
- … sent an apology for misinterpreting Darwin on this point ( letter from J. D. Dana, 21 July 1874 ); …
- … numbers and sex ratios among the Pitcairn islanders ( letter from William Dealtry, 16 January 1874 …
- … will say that I have pounded the enemy into a jelly’ ( letter from T. H. Huxley, 14 April 1874 ). …
- … by none but anatomists; and never mind where it goes’ ( letter from T. H. Huxley, 16 April 1874 ). …
- … the return on subsequent print runs would be very good ( letter from R. F. Cooke, 12 November 1874 …
- … by the conciseness & clearness of your thought’ ( letter from G. H. Darwin, 20 April 1874 ). …
- … Review discussing works on primitive man by John Lubbock and Edward Burnett Tylor. It included an …
- … legal action over the ‘scurrilous libel’ on his son ( letter to G. H. Darwin, [27 July 1874] ). …
- … the wooded land, which he had been renting from John Lubbock, led to a straining of relations with …
- … with lawyers over a doubt that it may have been included in Lubbock’s marriage settlements, the sale …
- … Cohn, 12 October 1874 ). Darwin’s American correspondent Mary Treat sent observations of the prey …
- … carnivorous plants that she had seen’ ( letter from Mary Treat, 2 December 1874 ). The …
- … printed appeal for funds, raising £860 ( Circular to John Lubbock, P. L. Sclater, Charles Lyell, W. …
- … see letter John Murray, 9 May [1874] ). He communicated Mary Elizabeth Barber’s paper on the pupae …
- … Tyndall, 12 August [1874] ). Hooker reported that ‘Lubbock’s Lecture went off admirably— but …
Darwin in letters,1866: Survival of the fittest
Summary
The year 1866 began well for Charles Darwin, as his health, after several years of illness, was now considerably improved. In February, Darwin received a request from his publisher, John Murray, for a new edition of Origin. Darwin got the fourth…
Matches: 25 hits
- … Spencer, who was visiting Darwin’s neighbour, Sir John Lubbock. In February, Darwin received a …
- … Pound foolish, Penurious, Pragmatical Prigs’ ( letter from J. D. Hooker, [29 December 1866] ). But …
- … able to write easy work for about 1½ hours every day’ ( letter to H. B. Jones, 3 January [1866] ). …
- … once daily to make the chemistry go on better’ ( letter from H. B. Jones, 10 February [1866] ). …
- … regime led to Darwin’s being teased by his neighbour, John Lubbock, about the prospect of riding to …
- … work doing me any harm—any how I can’t be idle’ ( letter to W. D. Fox, 24 August [1866] ). …
- … production of which Tegetmeier had agreed to supervise ( letter to W. B. Tegetmeier, 16 January …
- … of “Domestic Animals & Cult. Plants” to Printers’ ( letter to J. D. Hooker, 24 December [1866] …
- … good deal I think, & have come to more definite views’ ( letter to T. H. Huxley, 22 December …
- … Henry Walter Bates’s article on mimetic butterflies, Lubbock’s observations of diving Hymenoptera …
- … ‘I quite follow you in thinking Agassiz glacier-mad’ ( letter to Charles Lyell, 8[–9] September …
- … ten times more than the belief of a dozen physicists’ ( letter to J. D. Hooker, [28 February 1866] …
- … past few years. Emma described the Royal Society event in a letter to George: ‘Your father … entered …
- … you—& told me to worship Bence Jones in future—’ ( letter from J. D. Hooker, 13 May 1866 ). …
- … 3 calls! & then went for ¾ to Zoolog. Garden!!!!!!!!!’ ( letter to J. D. Hooker, [28 April 1866 …
- … delighted to come on those terms so you are in for it’ ( letter from H. E. Darwin, [ c . 10 May …
- … very much to see him, though I dread all exertion’ ( letter to J. D. Hooker, [12 May 1866] ). …
- … to Madeira. His visit to Down House is described in a letter from Henrietta to George: ‘when first …
- … most magnificent eulogium which it has ever received’ ( letter to Ernst Haeckel, 18 August [1866] …
- … like myself weak in his Greek, is something dreadful’ ( letter to T. H. Huxley, 22 December [1866] …
- … progressive, teleological development ( see for example, letter to C. W. Nägeli, 12 June [1866] ). …
- … His drawings of C. scoparius , sent to Darwin with his letter of 8 May [1866] , allowed …
- … initial state of dimorphism’ (Correspondence vol. 9, letter from Asa Gray, 11 October 1861 ). …
- … that the species was ‘merely ordinaryly diœcious’ ( letter from W. E. Darwin, [7 May – 11 June 1866 …
- … statement of his religious views, replying to the educator Mary Everest Boole, who asked whether he …
Religion
Summary
Design|Personal Belief|Beauty|The Church Perhaps the most notorious realm of controversy over evolution in Darwin's day was religion. The same can be said of the evolution controversy today; however the nature of the disputes and the manner in…
Matches: 23 hits
- … of departure reviews of Origin . The second is a single letter from naturalist A. R. Wallace to …
- … everything is the result of “brute force”. Letter 2855 — Darwin, C. R. to Gray, Asa, 3 …
- … nature, as he is in a “muddle” on this issue. Letter 3256 — Darwin, C. R. to Gray, Asa, …
- … shares a witty thought experiment about an angel. Letter 3342 — Darwin, C. R. to Gray, …
- … He asks Gray some questions about design. Letter 6167 — Darwin, C. R. to Gray, Asa, 8 …
- … of my precipice”. Darwin and Wallace Letter 5140 — Wallace, A. R. to Darwin, …
- … of variations. Darwin and Graham Letter 13230 — Darwin, C. R. to Graham, …
- … of people, including members of his own family. Letter 441 — Wedgwood, Emma to Darwin, …
- … about his “honest & conscientious doubts”. Letter 471 — Darwin, Emma to Darwin, C. …
- … there is a danger in giving up revelation”. Letter 2534 — Kingsley, Charles to Darwin, …
- … need of an act of intervention to bring change. Letter 2548 — Sedgwick, Adam to Darwin, …
- … with that knowledge which only He can give me.” Letter 5303 — Boole, M. E. to Darwin, C …
- … that his theory be compatible with her faith. Letter 5307 — Darwin, C. R. to Boole, M. …
- … and science should each run its own course. Letter 8070 — Darwin, C. R. to Abbot, F. E. …
- … “with qualifications”, if he wishes. Letter 8837 — Darwin, C. R. to Doedes, N. D., 2 …
- … man’s intellect, “but man can do his duty”. Letter 12041 — Darwin, C. R. to Fordyce, …
- … most correct description of my state of mind”. Letter 12757 — Darwin, C. R. to Aveling, …
- … as examples to illustrate his ideas on beauty. Letter 4752 — Darwin, C. R. to Lyell, …
- … discusses humming birds and orchids as examples. Letter 4939 — Shaw, James to Darwin, C …
- … a long discussion on beauty in the natural world. Letter 4943 — Darwin, C. R. to Shaw, …
- … beauty of flowers is solely to attract insects. Letter 5003f — Shaw, James to Darwin, C …
- … Darwin played an active role in the affairs of St Mary's Church at Down village. The following …
- … and School Letter 1536 — Darwin, C. R. to Lubbock, J. W. (b), 11 Oct [1853] Darwin …
Darwin in letters, 1882: Nothing too great or too small
Summary
In 1882, Darwin reached his 74th year Earthworms had been published the previous October, and for the first time in decades he was not working on another book. He remained active in botanical research, however. Building on his recent studies in plant…
Matches: 24 hits
- … ‘I feel a very old man, & my course is nearly run’ ( letter to Lawson Tait, 13 February 1882 ) …
- … The end came on 19 April. Plans were made for a burial in St Mary’s churchyard in Down, where his …
- … fertility of crosses between differently styled plants ( letter from Fritz Müller, 1 January 1882 …
- … François Marie Glaziou (see Correspondence vol. 28, letter from Arthur de Souza Corrêa, 20 …
- … quite untirable & I am glad to shirk any extra labour’ ( letter to G. J. Romanes, 6 January …
- … probably intending to test its effects on chlorophyll ( letter to Joseph Fayrer, 30 March 1882 ). …
- … we know about the life of any one plant or animal!’ ( letter to Henry Groves, 3 April 1882 ). He …
- … of seeing the flowers & experimentising on them’ ( letter to J. E. Todd, 10 April 1882 ). …
- … find stooping over the microscope affects my heart’ ( letter to Henry Groves, 3 April 1882 ). …
- … sooner or later write differently about evolution’ ( letter to John Murray, 21 January 1882 ). The …
- … leaves into their burrows ( Correspondence vol. 29, letter from J. F. Simpson, 8 November 1881 …
- … on the summit, whence it rolls down the sides’ ( letter from J. F. Simpson, 7 January 1882 ). The …
- … light on it, which would have pleased me greatly’ ( letter from J. H. Gilbert, 9 January 1882, …
- … annelid seemed to have rather the best of the fight’ ( letter from G. F. Crawte, 11 March 1882 ). …
- … by the American educator Emily Talbot (Talbot ed. 1882). His letter to Talbot written the previous …
- … by the flippant witlings of the newspaper press’ ( letter from A. T. Rice, 4 February 1882 ). Rice …
- … men, and their role as providers for the family. In his letter, he conceded that there was ‘some …
- … of our homes, would in this case greatly suffer’ ( letter to C. A. Kennard, 9 January 1882 ). …
- … she be fairly judged, intellectually his inferior, please ( letter from C. A. Kennard, 28 January …
- … he has allied himself to so dreadful a man, as Huxley’ ( letter to John Collier, 16 February 1882 …
- … Would my actions be the same without my consciousness?’ ( letter from John Collier, 22 February …
- … a solid scientific foundation cannot be overestimated’ ( letter to William Jenner, 20 March [1882] …
- … adjourned as a small tribute of respect’ (letter from John Lubbock to Francis Darwin, 20 April 1882 …
- … he said “Darwin is still at wormbs”’ ( letter from Mary Johnson, [after 22 July 1878] ). …
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] ). …
- … when told by his neighbour and young protégé John Lubbock that his method of calculation was wrong ( …
- … ‘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 in letters, 1873: Animal or vegetable?
Summary
Having laboured for nearly five years on human evolution, sexual selection, and the expression of emotions, Darwin was able to devote 1873 almost exclusively to his beloved plants. He resumed work on the digestive powers of sundews and Venus fly traps, and…
Matches: 29 hits
- … I omitted to observe, which I ought to have observed” ( letter to J. D. Hooker, 12 January [1873] …
- … work your wicked will on it—root leaf & branch!” ( letter from J. D. Hooker, 12 January 1873 ) …
- … a wide range of experts, including the American botanist Mary Treat, who performed experiments …
- … parts of the flower would become modified & correlated” ( letter to T. H. Farrer, 14 August …
- … it again, “for Heaven knows when it will be ready” ( letter to John Murray, 4 May [1873] ). …
- … we take notes and take tracings of their burrows” ( letter from Francis Darwin, 14 August [1873] ) …
- … in importance; and if so more places will be created” ( letter to E. A. Darwin, 20 September 1873 …
- … our unfortunate family being fit for continuous work” ( letter from E. A. Darwin, 25 September …
- … on any point; for I knew my own ignorance before hand” ( letter to George Cupples, 28 April [1873] …
- … “he would fly at the Empr’s throat like a bulldog” ( letter from L. M. Forster to H. E. Litchfield, …
- … force & truth of the great principle of inheritance!” ( letter to F. S. B. F. de Chaumont, 3 …
- … the heavy breathing that accompanied sexual intercourse? (letter from ?, [1873?]). The Scottish …
- … with up lines; & sadness & decay with the reverse—” ( letter from William Main, 2 April …
- … with the advance of civilisation and good breeding ( letter from Henry Reeks, 3 March 1873 ). …
- … have never felt an inclination to have a second dose” ( letter from Robert Swinhoe, 26 March 1873 …
- … of an orbital one produces snapping of the jaws” ( letter from James Crichton-Browne, 16 April 1873 …
- … that illustrated the physiognomy of the disease ( letter to James Crichton-Browne, 30 December 1873 …
- … by an individual could be transmitted to its offspring ( letter from J. T. Moggridge, 1 February …
- … a related discussion in Nature magazine, forwarding a letter from William Huggins on a case of …
- … Kepler who was fearful of butchers and butcher’s shops ( letter to Nature , [before 13 February …
- … smell. Darwin joined the debate, writing to Nature ( letter to Nature , [before 13 March …
- … The debate later shifted to ants when Darwin forwarded a letter from the mining engineer James …
- … disperse wildly after he had smashed some with his finger ( letter to Nature , [before 3 April …
- … danger by seeing the corpses of a fellow species” ( letter to Nature , [before 24 July 1873] ). …
- … cousin’s aims but regarded the project as “utopian” ( letter to Francis Galton, 4 January [1873] ) …
- … in correspondence, and investing money very well” ( letter to Francis Galton, 28 May 1873 ). Among …
- … his father’s virtues: “sober, honest & industrious” ( letter to Francis Galton, 28 May 1873 ). …
- … who thought it would offend his father ( enclosure to letter from T. H. Huxley, 3 December 1873 ). …
- … as not to cause offence or embarrassment. As Ellen Frances Lubbock advised, “I do think … it …
Darwin and the Church
Summary
The story of Charles Darwin’s involvement with the church is one that is told far too rarely. It shows another side of the man who is more often remembered for his personal struggles with faith, or for his role in large-scale controversies over the…
Matches: 23 hits
- … & I can see it even through a grove of Palms.—’ (letter to Caroline Darwin, 25–6 April [1832] …
- … wrote to the contrary: ‘I am sorry to see in your last letter that you still look forward to the …
- … near the British Museum or some other learned place’ (letter from E. A. Darwin, 18 August [1832] …
- … it is a sort of scene I never ought to think about—’ (letter to W. D. Fox, [9–12 August] 1835 ). …
- … the family went dutifully to the local Anglican church of St Mary’s each Sunday. All the children …
- … near the entrance to the church where their children Mary and Charles were buried; later Darwin’s …
- … However, what remains is cordial; in the first extant letter of the correspondence, Darwin wrote to …
- … (a local charity), which he administered from 1848 to 1869 (letter to J. B. Innes, [8 May 1848] …
- … he would make an excellent Guardian [of the Poor Fund]’ (letter to J. W. Lubbock, 28 March [1854] …
- … club the use of his own lawn for its meetings (Moore 1985; letter to J. S. Henslow, 17 January …
- … the family’s dog, Quiz, when he moved away from Down (letter to J. B. Innes, 15 December [1861] ) …
- … was considered to be a cross between a cow and a red deer (letter from J. B. Innes, 7 December …
- … ancestor. Please think of my request favourably—’ (letter from J. B. Innes, 26 May 1871 ). Indeed …
- … and leaves Moses to take care of himself. Letter from J. B. Innes, 1 December 1878 …
- … take care of the financial complications he left behind (letter from S. J. O’H. Horsman, 2 June …
- … seemed to have made off with the church’s organ fund (letter to J. B. Innes, 15 June [1868] ). So …
- … by Horsman relating to the Down school and organ funds (letter to J. B. Innes, 13 January 1871 ). …
- … Dissenters’ chapel, rather than the Down parish church (letter to J. B. Innes, 1 December 1868 ). …
- … in the Parish, but preaches, I hear, very dull sermons’ (letter to J. B. Innes, 18 January [1871] …
- … capital testimonials to his wife’s qualifications’ (letter from J. B. Innes, 5 June 1871 ). …
- … support, and presented their answer to the School Committee (letter to Down School Board, [after …
- … During the reign of Ffinden, there is an interesting letter from Darwin to the evangelist J. W. C. …
- … do not know that there is a drunkard left in the village’ (letter to J. W. C. Fegan, [December …
Discussion Questions and Essay Questions
Summary
There are a wide range of possibilities for opening discussion and essay writing on Darwin’s correspondence. We have provided a set of sample discussion questions and essay questions, each of which focuses on a particular topic or correspondent in depth.…
Matches: 3 hits
Darwin’s queries on expression
Summary
When Darwin resumed systematic research on emotions around 1866, he began to collect observations more widely and composed a list of queries on human expression. A number of handwritten copies were sent out in 1867 (see, for example, letter to Fritz Muller…
Matches: 20 hits
- … handwritten copies were sent out in 1867 (see, for example, letter to Fritz Muller, 22 February …
- … Correspondence about Darwin’s Questionnaire (click on the letter dates to see the individual letters …
- … Correspondent Letter date Location …
- … Africa)? ] mentioned in JPM Weale letter, but Bowker's answers not found …
- … Woolston, Southampton, England letter to W.E. Darwin shrugging …
- … Square W London, England enclosed in a letter from Henry Maudsley …
- … South Africa possibly included in letter from Mansel Weale …
- … Peradeniya, Ceylon enclosed in letter from G.H.K. Thwaites …
- … Egypt] possibly included in letter(s) from Asa Gray Nile …
- … Lake Wellington, Australia letter to F.J.H. von Mueller nodding, …
- … Hawkshaw, Cicely Mary (to ED) 9 Feb 1868 …
- … Abbey Place, London, England letter to Emma Darwin baby expression …
- … Penmaenmawr, Conway, Wales letter to Emma Darwin infant daughter …
- … Square W, London, England Enclosed letter from Dr. C. Browne …
- … 9 Nov 1870 11 St Mary Abbot's Terrace, London, England …
- … 1 Feb 1871 11 St Mary Abbot's Terrace, London, England …
- … 7 Sept 1872 11 St Mary Abbot's Terrace, London, England …
- … 1 Feb. 1871 11 Saint Mary Abbot's Terrace, Kensington. W., London, …
- … England (about Australia) encloses letter from Austrialian friend, letter not …
- … forwarded by Smyth; Wilson sent letter to Ferdinand von Mueller Victoria Aborigines …
Darwin in letters, 1860: Answering critics
Summary
On 7 January 1860, John Murray published the second edition of Darwin’s Origin of species, printing off another 3000 copies to satisfy the demands of an audience that surprised both the publisher and the author. It wasn't long, however, before ‘the…
Matches: 29 hits
- … learn that the book was on sale even in railway stations ( letter to Charles Lyell, 14 January …
- … the book, thinking that it would be nice easy reading.’ ( letter to Asa Gray, 22 May [1860] ). …
- … he told Hooker, did not at all concern his main argument ( letter to J. D. Hooker, 3 January [1860] …
- … his theory would have been ‘ utterly smashed’ ( letter to T. H. Huxley, 3 July [1860] ). (A …
- … from right principles of scientific investigation.—’ ( letter to J. S. Henslow, 8 May [1860] ). …
- … a theory solely by explaining an ample lot of facts.’ ( letter to Asa Gray, 18 February [1860] ). …
- … phenomena it comes in time to be admitted as real.’ ( letter to C. J. F. Bunbury, 9 February [1860] …
- … natural selection did not necessarily lead to progression ( letter to Charles Lyell, 18 [and 19 …
- … considered it more a failure than a success ( see letter to J. D. Hooker, 14 February [1860] ). …
- … naturalists because more accustomed to reasoning.’ ( letter to A. R. Wallace, 18 May 1860 ). …
- … two physiologists, and five botanists ( see letter to J. D. Hooker, 3 March [1860] ). Others, like …
- … tail, whenever I gaze at it, makes me sick!’ ( letter to Asa Gray, 3 April [1860] ). By the …
- … favour of change of form’, namely those of embryology ( letter to Asa Gray, 10 September [1860] ). …
- … his study of the geographical distribution of species ( see letter from T. H. Huxley, 6 August 1860 …
- … ‘man is in same predicament with other animals’ ( letter to Charles Lyell, 10 January [1860] )— he …
- … book had become ‘topics of the day’ at the meeting in a letter from Hooker written from Oxford. …
- … Darwin ‘master of the field after 4 hours battle’ (letter from J. D. Hooker, 2 July 1860). Other …
- … that ‘this row is best thing for subject.—’ ( letter to T. H. Huxley, 3 July [1860] ). Further …
- … if the whole were already proved) to his own views.—’ ( letter from J. S. Henslow to J. D. Hooker, …
- … ‘how differently different opposers view the subject’ ( letter to Charles Lyell, 15 February [1860] …
- … studying the first published piece: 'I said in a former letter that you were a Lawyer; but I …
- … that these visits have led to changed structure.’ ( letter to J. D. Hooker, 27 April [1860] ). …
- … several months later, ‘just as at a game of chess.’ ( letter to J. D. Hooker, 19 [July 1860] ). …
- … substance from non=nitrogenised substances.’ ( letter to J. D. Hooker, 31 [August 1860] ). Relying …
- … her husband’s current enthusiasm, Emma Darwin wrote to Mary Lyell: ‘At present he is treating …
- … scarcely be believed without further supporting evidence ( letter to Edward Cresy, 12 December …
- … ‘how much better fun observing is than writing.—’ ( letter to Charles Lyell, 12 September [1860] ) …
- … hope & think I shall improve the Book considerably.—’ ( letter to John Murray, 5 December [1860 …
- … of some good judge coming some little way with me.’ ( letter to John Innes, 28 December [1860] ). …
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
- … [Reimarius 1760] The Highlands & Western Isl ds letter to Sir W Scott [MacCulloch 1824 …
- … 1834–40]: In Portfolio of “abstracts” 34 —letter from Skuckard of books on Silk Worm …
- … M rs Fry’s Life [Fry 1847] Horace Walpoles letter to C t . of Ossory [Walpole 1848] …
- … Ornithological Ramble in Sussex. 7. 6. [A. E. Knox 1849] J. Lubbock has & will lend me— …
- … Asiatic Society ]—contains very little Macleay’s 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. 319–28). 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. London. 119: 15b …
- … of every-day life . Translated from the Swedish by Mary Howitt. 2 vols. London. 119: 13b …
- … cares and family joys . Translated from the Swedish by Mary Howitt. 2 vols. London. 119: 12b …
- … of every-day life: a diary . Translated from the Swedish by Mary Howitt. London. 119: 13b …
- … 119: 21b Broughton, William Grant. 1832. A letter in vindication of the principles of …
- … of the author of a vindication of the rights of woman [Mary Wollstonecraft]. London. [Other …
- … islands . London. *119: 2v. Howitt, Mary. 1851. Biographical sketches of the queens of …
- … of Victoria, or, Royal book of beauty. Edited by Mary Howitt. London. 128: 11 Huc, …
- … by Bekhur to Garoo and the Lake Manasarowara: with a letter from … J. G. Gerard, Esq. …
- … 1830. On the dying struggle of the dichotomous sytem. In a letter to N. A. Vigors. Philosophical …
- … Paris. *119: 14v. Meinhold, Wilhelm. 1844. Mary Schweidler, the amber witch. The …
- … 205.7(2): 192–8.] *119: 2v.; 119: 9a Montagu, Mary Wortley. 1837. The letters and works …
- … *119: 8v., 22v.; *128: 165 ——. 1850a. Letter to the Rev. John Bachman, on the question of …
- … art of improving the breeds of domestic animals. In a letter addressed to the Right Hon. Sir …
- … as a continuation of Hume . 6 vols. (Vol. 1: William and Mary; vol. 2: Anne.) London. [Other eds.] …
- … actual practice. London. 119: 14a Somerville, Mary. 1848. Physical geography . 2 …
- … Mass. 128: 20 Strickland, Agnes. 1846–7. Mary Beatrice of Modena . Vols. 9 and 10 of …
Race, Civilization, and Progress
Summary
Darwin's first reflections on human progress were prompted by his experiences in the slave-owning colony of Brazil, and by his encounters with the Yahgan peoples of Tierra del Fuego. Harsh conditions, privation, poor climate, bondage and servitude,…
Matches: 16 hits
- … he had witnessed man in his most "primitive wildness" ( letter to Henslow, 11 April 1833 …
- … of botany at Cambridge, John Stevens Henslow. Letter 204 : Darwin to Henslow, J. S., …
- … 1833 which took effect in the following year. Letter 206 : Darwin to Darwin, E. C., 22 …
- … of the polygenist theory of human descent. Letter 4933 : Farrar, F. W. to Darwin, …
- … about the state of civilization of the natives. Letter 5617 , Darwin to Weale, J. P. M …
- … wonderful fact in the progress of civilization" Letter 5722 , Weale, J. P. M. to …
- … of Species , Darwin discussed his views on progress in a letter to Charles Lyell, insisting that …
- … of life" ( Origin , 6 th ed, p. 98). Letter 2503 : Darwin, C. R. to Lyell, C …
- … not profit it, there would be no advance.— " Letter 6728 : from Charles Lyell, 5 …
- … but may guide the forces & laws of Nature." Letter 6866 : From Federico Delpino …
- … in this inner principle, inborn in all things." Letter 8658 : to Alpheus Hyatt, 4 …
- … Wallace, and the philosopher William Graham. Letter 2503 : Darwin, C. R. to Lyell, C., …
- … the less intellectual races being exterminated." Letter 3439 : Darwin to Kingsley, …
- … race, viewed as a unit, will have risen in rank." Letter 4510 : Darwin to Wallace, …
- … entirely on intellectual & moral qualities. Letter 13230 : Darwin to Graham, …
- … Darwin's Sacred Cause . London: Allen Lane, 2009. Mary Cowling, The Artists as …
