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Darwin in letters, 1881: Old friends and new admirers
Summary
In May 1881, Darwin, one of the best-known celebrities in England if not the world, began writing about all the eminent men he had met. He embarked on this task, which formed an addition to his autobiography, because he had nothing else to do. He had…
Matches: 18 hits
- … In May 1881, Darwin, one of the best-known celebrities in England if not the world, …
- … a very old man, who probably will not last much longer.’ Darwin’s biggest fear was not death, but …
- … sweetest place on this earth’. From the start of the year, Darwin had his demise on his mind. He …
- … provision for the dividing of his wealth after his death. Darwin’s gloominess was compounded by the …
- … and new admirers got in touch, and, for all his fears, Darwin found several scientific topics to …
- … Evolution old and new when revising his essay on Erasmus Darwin’s scientific work, and that Darwin …
- … was another source of pleasure in the early months of 1881. This book had been a major undertaking …
- … decided to print ‘500 more, making 2000’ ( letter to H. E. Litchfield, 4 January 1881 ). Unlike …
- … & very surprising the whole case is to me’ (letters to W. E. Darwin, 31 January [1881] and …
- … suggestions of such plants, especially annuals ( letter to W. T. Thiselton-Dyer, 21 March [1881] ) …
- … with you’, a Swedish teacher told him ( letter from C. E. Södling, 14 October 1881 ), while H. M. …
- … little, to the general stock of knowledge’ ( letter to E. W. Bok, 10 May 1881 ). Josef Popper, an …
- … of the nature & capabilities of the Fuegians’ ( letter to W. P. Snow, 22 November 1881 ). …
- … was the progress of his sons’ careers. The success of Horace’s recently established Cambridge …
- … ‘not absurd for one with no pretensions’ (l etter from W. E. Darwin, 13 January [1881 ]), Darwin …
- … after expressing their wish to visit Darwin ( letter from E. B. Aveling, 27 September [1881] ). …
- … the help of Lord Rayleigh, George Darwin, and Horace Darwin—the task of defending Darwin’s arguments …
- … grandson, was born in Cambridge. His parents, Ida and Horace Darwin, named him Erasmus in honour of …
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: 22 hits
- … In 1882, Darwin reached his 74th year Earthworms had been published the previous …
- … for scientific colleagues or their widows facing hardship. Darwin had suffered from poor health …
- … in Down, where his brother Erasmus had been interred in 1881. But some of his scientific friends …
- … Botanical observation and experiment had long been Darwin’s greatest scientific pleasure. The year …
- … to Fritz Müller, 4 January 1882 ). These were topics that Darwin had been investigating for years, …
- … working at the effects of Carbonate of Ammonia on roots,’ Darwin wrote, ‘the chief result being that …
- … for some hours in a weak solution of C. of Ammonia’. Darwin’s interest in root response and the …
- … London on 6 and 16 March, respectively. In January, Darwin corresponded with George John …
- … vol. 29, letter from Arthur de Souza Corrêa, 28 December 1881 ). Darwin had a long-running …
- … experiments had been conducted to lend support to Darwin’s theory of pangenesis (see …
- … He was eager to write up the results on Brazilian cane, with Darwin providing a detailed outline: ‘I …
- … the flowers & experimentising on them’ ( letter to J. E. Todd, 10 April 1882 ). While …
- … last book, Earthworms , had been published in October 1881. It proved to be very popular, with …
- … vol. 29, letter from J. F. Simpson, 8 November 1881 ). He remarked on the ‘far reaching …
- … rest’ ( letter to Anthony Rich, 4 February 1882 ). Horace had settled in Cambridge with his wife, …
- … and a ‘Glycerin Pepsin mixture’ (letters to W. W. Baxter, 11 March 1882 and 18 March [1882 ]) …
- … he is a good deal depressed about himself’ (letter from H. E. Litchfield to G. H. Darwin, 17 March …
- … is very calm but she has cried a little’ (letter from H. E. Litchfield to G. H. Darwin, [19 April …
- … overflowing in tenderness’ (letter from Emma Darwin to W. E. Darwin, 10 May 1882 (DAR 219.1: 150)). …
- … he had witnessed an earthquake in 1835 ( letter from R. E. Alison, [March–July 1835 ]). …
- … without any mercy’ ( letter from Emma Wedgwood to F. E. E. Wedgwood, [28 October 1836] , letter …
- … pains)… would be very interesting to me’ ( letter to E. W. V. Harcourt, 24 June [1856] ). In a …
Darwin in letters, 1880: Sensitivity and worms
Summary
‘My heart & soul care for worms & nothing else in this world,’ Darwin wrote to his old Shrewsbury friend Henry Johnson on 14 November 1880. Darwin became fully devoted to earthworms in the spring of the year, just after finishing the manuscript of…
Matches: 24 hits
- … heart & soul care for worms & nothing else in this world,’ Darwin wrote to his old …
- … to adapt to varying conditions. The implications of Darwin’s work for the boundary between animals …
- … studies of animal instincts by George John Romanes drew upon Darwin’s early observations of infants, …
- … of evolution and creation. Many letters flowed between Darwin and his children, as he took delight …
- … Financial support for science was a recurring issue, as Darwin tried to secure a Civil List pension …
- … with Samuel Butler, prompted by the publication of Erasmus Darwin the previous year. …
- … Charles Harrison Tindal, sent a cache of letters from two of Darwin’s grandfather’s clerical friends …
- … divines to see a pig’s body opened is very amusing’, Darwin replied, ‘& that about my …
- … to find an ordinary mortal who could laugh’ ( letter from W. E. Darwin to Charles and Emma Darwin, …
- … wants a grievance to hang an article upon’ ( letter from W. E. Darwin, [28 January 1880] ). …
- … one or both to his daughter Henrietta ( letter to H. E. Litchfield, 1 February [1880] ). ‘The …
- … he will have the last word’, she warned ( letter from H. E. Litchfield, [1 February 1880] ). ‘He …
- … from scientific debate. The matter spilled over into January 1881. With Henrietta’s aid, the advice …
- … pretended, ‘but the subject has amused me’ ( letter to W. C. McIntosh, 18 June 1880 ). Members of …
- … While on honeymoon with his new wife, Ida, in the Alps, Horace spotted worms at high elevations, …
- … saw a steam tram—imagine my excitement’ ( letter from Horace Darwin to Emma Darwin, [18 September …
- … bags ( letter from G. J. Romanes, [6, 13, or 20] March 1881 ). Romanes was at work on a lengthy …
- … the reasons, I should be greatly obliged’ ( letter from W. Z. Seddon, 2 February 1880) . Darwin …
- … he added, ‘hardly anybody has accepted’ ( letter to W. Z. Seddon, 4 February 1880 ). On 16 …
- … aided in any way direct attacks on religion’ ( letter to E. B. Aveling, 13 October 1880 ). Finally …
- … to the greatest biologist of our time’ ( letter from W. D. Roebuck to G. H. Darwin, 25 October 1880 …
- … his great doctrines …“Come of Age”‘ ( letter from W. C. Williamson to Emma Darwin, 2 September 1880 …
- … his voice as clearly as if he were present’ (letters to C. W. Fox, 29 March 1880 and 10 [April …
- … elected fellow of the Royal Society. He rejoiced to see Horace and Ida settled in their new home in …
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: 22 hits
- … 1874 was one of consolidation, reflection, and turmoil for Darwin. He spent the early months working …
- … dispute over an anonymous review that attacked the work of Darwin’s son George dominated the second …
- … and traveller Alexander von Humboldt’s 105th birthday, Darwin obliged with a reflection on his debt …
- … ). The death of a Cambridge friend, Albert Way, caused Darwin’s cousin, William Darwin Fox, to …
- … pleasures of shooting and collecting beetles ( letter from W. D. Fox, 8 May [1874] ). Such …
- … one looks backwards much more than forwards’ ( letter to W. D. Fox, 11 May [1874] ). …
- … Andrew Clark, whom he had been consulting since August 1873. Darwin had originally thought that …
- … ( letter to B. J. Sulivan, 6 January [1874] ). Darwin mentioned his poor health so frequently in …
- … 1874 ). Séances, psychics, and sceptics Darwin excused himself for reasons of …
- … the month, another Williams séance was held at the home of Darwin’s cousin Hensleigh Wedgwood. Those …
- … were family affairs. Coral reefs His son Horace had suggested a new edition of the …
- … all the horrid bother of correction’ ( letter to H. E. Litchfield, 21 [March 1874] ). The book …
- … were also doing well. Despite ill health, his youngest son Horace began the year by taking the …
- … without being bad & have done pretty well’ ( letter to Horace Darwin, 9 January [1874] ). …
- … failure of observations in New Zealand (see G. B. Airy ed. 1881). Darwin’s third son Francis …
- … the subject & that must be enough for me’ ( letter to W. D. Fox, 11 May [1874] ). …
- … the hardest cartilage, bone & meat &c. &c.’ ( letter to W. D. Fox, 11 May [1874] ). …
- … artificial gastric juice for about a week ( letter from E. E. Klein, 14 May 1874 ). John Burdon …
- … do when they are sitting at rest’ ( letter from S. W. Pennypacker, 14 September 1874 ). …
- … try to get it exhibited at a Royal Society of London soirée (see letter from Anton Dohrn, 6 April …
- … nephew, the fine-art specialist Henry Parker ( letter from E. A. Darwin, 17 [March 1874] ). He …
- … Julius Victor Carus, and his publisher, Eduard Koch of E. Schweizerbart’sche Verlagsbuchhandlung, …
Referencing women’s work
Summary
Darwin's correspondence shows that women made significant contributions to Darwin's work, but whether and how they were acknowledged in print involved complex considerations of social standing, professional standing, and personal preference.…
Matches: 16 hits
- … Darwin's correspondence shows that women made significant contributions to Darwin's work, …
- … set of selected letters is followed by letters relating to Darwin's 1881 publication …
- … throughout Variation . Letter 2395 - Darwin to Holland, Miss, [April 1860] …
- … anonymised and masculinised. Letter 3316 - Darwin to Nevill, D. F., [12 November …
- … Nevill is referenced by name for her “kindness” in Darwin’s Fertilisation of Orchids . …
- … critic. Letter 4370 - Wedgwood, L. C. to Darwin, [April - May 1865] Darwin …
- … as “friends in Surrey”. Letter 4794 - Darwin to Lyell, C., [25 March 1865] …
- … B”. Letter 7060 - Wedgwood, F. J. to Darwin, [1867 - 72] Darwin’s …
- … in the final publication. Letter 7223 - Darwin to Wedgwood, L. C., [9 June 1867 - …
- … in Expression . Letter 5817 - Darwin to Huxley, T. H., [30 January 1868 …
- … Letter 8321 - Darwin to Litchfield, H. E., [13 May 1872] Darwin consults his …
- … Letter 8427 - Darwin to Litchfield H. E., [25 July 1872] Darwin thanks Henrietta for …
- … Darwin, H., [1 November 1877] Darwin asks his sons, Horace and Francis, to observe …
- … - Darwin, H. to Darwin, [7 October 1880] Horace writes to his father with information …
- … St Tibbs Row. Darwin proudly referenced the work of "My son Horace" in Vegetable Mould …
- … Letter 13037 - Darwin to Darwin, W. E., [5 February 1881] Darwin discusses …
Casting about: Darwin on worms
Summary
Earthworms were the subject of a citizen science project to map the distribution of earthworms across Britain (BBC Today programme, 26 May 2014). The general understanding of the role earthworms play in improving soils and providing nutrients for plants to…
Matches: 13 hits
- … for plants to flourish can be traced back to the last book Darwin wrote, snappily-titled The …
- … , with observations on their habits, which was published in 1881. Despite Darwin’s fears that a book …
- … out in his Natural History of Selborne of 1789 (a book Darwin claimed had ‘much influence on my …
- … a new field in natural history, and almost a century later Darwin argued that all fields had passed …
- … variety of strange things he persuaded people to do. Darwin concluded that worms had no sense …
- … a metal whistle and to being shouted at, but also to Francis Darwin playing the bassoon, and to Emma …
- … traces of earthworm activity at Stonehenge , and Horace was later charged with making sure that 18 …
- … realising that this negative evidence was also valuable to Darwin. Thomas Henry Farrer , …
- … existence of worms at that altitude. By the 1870s, Darwin was also drawing on the work of …
- … him. Soon worm excrement was trusted to postal services, and Darwin acquired casts from India and …
- … observations he had gathered to write a book on the subject. Darwin brought to the topic the …
- … soul is absorbed with worms just at present!’ ( letter to W. T. Thiselton Dyer, 23 November [1880] …
- … much bigger souls than anyone wd suppose’ ( letter to W. E. Darwin, 31 January [1881] (CUL DAR …
Diagrams and drawings in letters
Summary
Over 850 illustrations from the printed volumes of The Correspondence of Charles Darwin have been added to the online transcripts of the letters. The contents include maps, diagrams, drawings, sketches and photographs, covering geological, botanical,…
Matches: 4 hits
- … Forbes's "Atlantis" theory, [25 February 1846] E. A. Darwin's …
- … of investigations carried out at Silchester with Frank and Horace [Darwin] on earthworm activity at …
- … containing bud samples, 12 May 1878 G. H. Darwin's drawings of Thalia dealbata …
- … and the fertilisation of figs by Hymenoptera, 9 January 1881 CD's instructions to …
Darwin in letters, 1871: An emptying nest
Summary
The year 1871 was an extremely busy and productive one for Darwin, with the publication in February of his long-awaited book on human evolution, Descent of man. The other main preoccupation of the year was the preparation of his manuscript on expression.…
Matches: 26 hits
- … The year 1871 was an extremely busy and productive one for Darwin, seeing the publication of his …
- … book out of my head’. But a large proportion of Darwin’s time for the rest of the year was devoted …
- … way, and the initial reception of the book in the press. Darwin fielded numerous letters from …
- … offered sharp criticism or even condemnation. Darwin had expected controversy. ‘I shall be …
- … a bare-faced manner.”‘ The most lively debate centred on Darwin’s evolutionary account of the …
- … taste. Correspondence with his readers and critics helped Darwin to clarify, and in some cases …
- … year was the preparation of his manuscript on expression. Darwin continued to investigate the …
- … also brought a significant milestone for the family, as Darwin’s eldest daughter Henrietta was …
- … during several past years, has been a great amusement’. Darwin had been working fairly continuously …
- … work on species theory in the late 1830s. In recent years, Darwin had collected a wealth of material …
- … to human evolution was comparatively small, reflecting Darwin’s aim of showing kinship with animals …
- … he is “torn to pieces” by people wanting copies’, Darwin wrote to his son Francis on 28 February …
- … letter from J. D. Hooker, 26 March 1871 ). The profits for Darwin were considerable. After …
- … man.’ Promoting the book As usual, Darwin did his best to obtain a wide and favourable …
- … (see Correspondence vol. 19, Appendix IV). Four of Darwin’s five sons received a copy, and his …
- … received a special acknowledgment in the form of a gift. Darwin credited her for whatever he had …
- … liking, ‘to keep in memory of the book’ ( letter to H. E. Darwin, 20 March 1871 ). Reaction …
- … to be the truth, whether pleasant or not’ (letter from W. W. Reade, 21 February 1871). The geologist …
- … Oldham … They club together to buy them’ ( letter from W. B. Dawkins, 23 February 1871 ). Thomas …
- … to make it darker than the hair on his head ( letter from W. B. Tegetmeier, [before 25 April 1871] …
- … a high aesthetic appreciation of beauty ( letter from E. J. Pfeiffer, [before 26 April 1871] ). …
- … most deep and tender religious feeling’ ( letter from F. E. Abbot, 20 August 1871 ). The Anglican …
- … now left the family home. The Darwins039; youngest son, Horace, entered Cambridge …
- … to pursue studies in mathematics and science ( letter to Horace Darwin, [15 December 1871] ). …
- … year, but he was sympathetic about the venture: ‘it w d be almost superhuman virtue to give it up …
- … who was ‘as good as twice refined gold’ ( letter to H. E. Litchfield, 4 September [1871] ). …
Movement in Plants
Summary
The power of movement in plants, published on 7 November 1880, was the final large botanical work that Darwin wrote. It was the only work in which the assistance of one of his children, Francis Darwin, is mentioned on the title page. The research for this…
Matches: 25 hits
- … 7 November 1880, was the final large botanical work that Darwin wrote. It was the only work in which …
- … about their research while he was away from home. Although Darwin lacked a state of the art research …
- … the advantages of both while Francis was working abroad. Darwin was privy to the inner workings of …
- … methods and use the most advanced laboratory equipment. Darwin also benefitted from the instrument …
- … plant physiology, but it was at its core informed by Darwin’s theory of evolution, particularly by …
- … early 1860s, at a time when his health was especially bad, Darwin had taken up the study of climbing …
- … reproduced as a small book, giving it a much wider audience. Darwin was not the first naturalist to …
- … which eventually appeared in 1875. In the same year, Darwin published a much longer work, …
- … about the nature of movement, so much so, that at one point Darwin had considered combining the …
- … digestive processes. With his final great botanical work, Darwin would attempt ‘ to bring all the …
- … emotions had their origins in non-human animal expression. Darwin had not done experimental work in …
- … viewed the division between animals and plants as absolute, Darwin was interested in similarities. …
- … become adapted to perform new functions, like climbing? For Darwin, physiology was a way of seeing …
- … attracting students from all over Europe and beyond. When Darwin’s son Francis worked in this …
- … off as completely as possible ’. He had also asked Horace to discuss the point with his friend …
- … made ’. Jemmy (a nickname for Darwin’s youngest son Horace) did, indeed, design an improved version …
- … of a klinostat. Journal of the Linnean Society. Botany . 1881. Vol. XVIII, p. 450. …
- … but a version of it was made by Darwin’s youngest son Horace, who also made an improved version of …
- … Frank’s ‘Transversal-Heliotropismus’ ( letter from W. E. Darwin, 10 February [1880] ). …
- … ‘ I am very sorry that Sachs is so sceptical, for I w d . rather convert him than any other half …
- … and would later spend three months there from May 1881. While on holiday in the Lake District …
- … as ‘little discs’ and ‘greenish bodies’ ( letter to W. T. Thiselton-Dyer, 29 October 1879 ). …
- … that he had not been able to observe earlier ( letter to W. T. Thiselton-Dyer, 20 November 1879 ). …
- … pay more for at the usual rate of charging per inch &c they w d . be over £40’; he suggested …
- … a book-length critique of Darwin’s work (Wiesner 1881). Francis would later respond to Wiesner’s …