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Volume 29 (1881) is published!

Summary

In October 1881, Darwin published his last book, The formation of vegetable mould through the action of worms: with observations on their habits. A slim volume on a subject that many people could understand and on which they had their own opinions, it went…

Matches: 9 hits

  • to pursue. Volume 29  of the  Correspondence of Charles Darwin  is now available. …
  • the enthusiasm with which the book has been received.    Letter t o Francis Darwin, 9 November
  • in my life as for its success.                   Letter to ABBuckley, 4 January 1881
  • … & I have no little jobs which I can do.            Letter to JDHooker, 15 June 1881
  • …                                         Letter to WEDarwin, 4 August [1881] In
  • seemed to me admirable.                        Letter to THFarrer, 28 August 1881
  • decades. Although he was much less of a public figure than Charles, many tributes to him were sent
  • In December, Darwin was reading Katherine Murray Lyells edition of the life, letters, and journals
  • …                                    Letter t o BJSulivan, 1 December 1881   …

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: 24 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 ) …
  • … but not in others. He encouraged research by Thomas Henry Farrer on a complex floral structure in …
  • … 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 …
  • … could be transmitted to its offspring ( letter from J. T. Moggridge, 1 February 1873 ). …
  • … it would offend his father ( enclosure to letter from T. H. Huxley, 3 December 1873 ).  In …
  • … fund was first suggested in early April by Katharine Murray Lyell in conversation with Emma Darwin, …
  • … happiness to us to the last day of our lives” ( letter to T. H. Huxley, 23 April 1873 ). Huxley …
  • … been without energy & without hope” ( letter from T. H. Huxley, 24 April 1873 ). He accepted …
  • … to starve sweat & purge it away” ( letter from G. H. Darwin, [1 October 1873] ). He also …
  • … & usefulness”, citing the examples of John Stuart Mill and Charles Lyell, who would have had far …

Darwin in letters, 1868: Studying sex

Summary

The quantity of Darwin’s correspondence increased dramatically in 1868 due largely to his ever-widening research on human evolution and sexual selection.Darwin’s theory of sexual selection as applied to human descent led him to investigate aspects of the…

Matches: 23 hits

  • … in satisfying female preference in the mating process. In a letter to Alfred Russel Wallace in 1864, …
  • … of changing the races of man’ (Correspondence vol. 12, letter to A. R. Wallace, 28 [May 1864] ). …
  • … book would take the form of a ‘short essay’ on man ( letter to Ernst Haeckel, 3 July 1868 ). But …
  • … as well say, he would drink a little and not too much’ ( letter to Albert Günther, 15 May [1868] ) …
  • … would be a great loss to the Book’. But Darwin’s angry letter to Murray crossed one from Dallas to …
  • … of labour to remuneration I shall look rather blank’ ( letter from W. S. Dallas, 8 January 1868 ). …
  • … if I try to read a few pages feel fairly nauseated’ ( letter to J. D. Hooker, 3 February [1868] ). …
  • … reviews. On 7 August 1868 , he wrote him a lengthy letter from the Isle of Wight on the formation …
  • … would strike me in the face, but not behind my back’ ( letter to John Murray, 25 February [1868] ) …
  • … ignorant article… . It is a disgrace to the paper’ ( letter from A. R. Wallace, 24 February [1868] …
  • … ‘he is a scamp & I begin to think a veritable ass’ ( letter to J. D. Hooker, 1 September [1868] …
  • … additional facts that they hoped might be of interest. Charles Henry Binstead, a civil engineer in …
  • … proved very fruitful. On 1 May , Darwin received a letter from George Cupples, who was encouraged …
  • … with the enthusiastic breeder, who apologised in a letter of 11–13 May 1868 for his ‘voluminuous …
  • … classes, a dim ray of light may be gained’ ( letter to H. T. Stainton, 21 February [1868] ). From …
  • … son, William, met on occasion with a Southampton surgeon, Charles Langstaff, who observed screaming …
  • … sacrificed to Public life.’ Farrer replied: ‘You don’t know how kind I think your note. This …
  • … as an appendix to volume 16 of The Correspondence of Charles Darwin . Religion in theory . …
  • … induced him to stay away ( letter from S. J. O’H. Horsman, 2 June [1868] ). But if Horsman …
  • … life time— I am preparing to go into opposition— I can’t stand it’. Diplomas and honorary …
  • … at the shrine of D r . Darwin’ ( letter from T. H. Huxley, 20 July 1868 ). Darwin received a …
  • … Darwin by Julia Margaret Cameron ( Image: Charles Darwin, 1868, Julia Margaret Cameron, Dar …
  • … year, but suffered one bout of poor health, complaining to Charles Lyell on 14 July : ‘the last 3 …

Darwin in letters, 1869: Forward on all fronts

Summary

At the start of 1869, Darwin was hard at work making changes and additions for a fifth edition of  Origin. He may have resented the interruption to his work on sexual selection and human evolution, but he spent forty-six days on the task. Much of the…

Matches: 20 hits

  • … & I am sick of correcting’ ( Correspondence  vol. 16, letter to W. D. Fox, 12 December [1868 …
  • … Well it is a beginning, & that is something’ ( letter to J. D. Hooker, [22 January 1869] ). …
  • … made any blunders, as is very likely to be the case’ ( letter to J. D. Hooker, 13 January 1869 ). …
  • … address in the fifth edition was that of the engineer Henry Charles Fleeming Jenkin. Darwin had been …
  • … than I now see is possible or probable’ (see also letter to A. R. Wallace, 22 January [1869] , …
  • … is strengthened by the facts in distribution’ ( letter to James Croll, 31 January [1869] ). Darwin …
  • … tropical species using Croll’s theory. In the same letter to Croll, Darwin had expressed …
  • … a very long period  before  the Cambrian formation’ ( letter to James Croll,  31 January [1869] …
  • … would no doubt do if we had proper data to go by, but don’t think we have got that yet’ ( letter
  • … I d  have been less deferential towards [Thomson]’ ( letter to T. H. Huxley, 19 March [1869] ). …
  • … completed revisions of the ‘everlasting old Origin’ ( letter to Asa Gray, 1 June [1869] ), he was …
  • … him however in his researches I would willingly do so’ ( letter from Robert Elliot to George …
  • … with his noisy courting of the female in the garden ( letter from Frederick Smith, 8 October 1869 …
  • … structures of the South American cordillera ( letter to Charles Lyell, 20 May 1869 ), and fossil …
  • … by these proceedings, Darwin arranged for another publisher, Charles Reinwald, and another …
  • … greater fools of themselves than they did’ ( letter from T. H. Huxley, 28 September 1869 ). …
  • … criticism was noted in a letter from Thomas Henry Farrer, who had been reading some of Delpino’s …
  • … into which … I do not care to follow him’ ( letter from T. H. Farrer, 9 October 1869 ). Farrer …
  • … Freedom and Will and High Design—’ (letter from T. H. Farrer, 13 October 1869). …
  • … to set foot on summit of a mountain.—’ ( letter to T. H. Huxley, 9 July [1869] ).  Earlier …

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: 21 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
  • Andone 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] …
  • at Erasmuss house. The event was led by the medium Charles E. Williams, and was attended by George
  • Mr Williams wasa cheat and an imposter’ ( letter from T. H. Huxley, 27 January 1874 ). Darwin
  • that he was thus free to perform his antics’ ( letter to T. H. Huxley, 29 January [1874] ). This
  • alloweda spirit séanceat his home ( letter from T. G. Appleton, 2 April 1874 ). Back
  • friend Joseph Dalton Hooker, and finally borrowed one from Charles Lyell ( letter to Smith, Elder
  • sweetly all the horrid bother of correction’ ( letter to H. E. Litchfield, 21 [March 1874] ). The
  • and disease in the Sandwich Islands (Hawaii; letters from T. N. Staley, 12 February 1874 and
  • that I have pounded the enemy into a jelly’ ( letter from T. H. Huxley, 14 April 1874 ). The
  • anatomists; and never mind where it goes’ ( letter from T. H. Huxley, 16 April 1874 ). The
  • at a much reduced price of nine shillings, in line with Charles Lyells  Students elements of
  • conciseness & clearness of your thought’ ( letter from G. H. Darwin, 20 April 1874 ). …
  • the spread of various mental and physical disorders (G. H. Darwin 1873b). In July 1874, an anonymous
  • over thescurrilous libelon his son ( letter to G. H. Darwin, [27 July 1874] ).  George, …
  • accusation of [a] lying scoundrel’ ( letter to G. H. Darwin, 1 August [1874] ). He drafted a brief
  • of Hookers and Huxleys representations ( letter to T. H. Huxley, 22 December [1874] ). Huxley
  • … £860 ( Circular to John Lubbock, P. L. Sclater, Charles Lyell, W. B. Carpenter, and Michael Foster, …
  • doIt is enough to kill anyone’, and asked Thomas Henry Farrer to attempt to influence the

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: 27 hits

  • in Unconscious memory in November 1880 and in an abusive letter about Darwin in the St Jamess
  • memory in Kosmos and sent Darwin a separate letter for publication in the Journal of Popular
  • publishers decided to print500 more, making 2000’ ( letter to H. E. Litchfield, 4 January 1881 ) …
  • the animal learnt from its own individual experience ( letter from G. J. Romanes, 7 March 1881 ). …
  • whether observations of their behaviour were trustworthy ( letter to Francis Galton, 8 March [1881] …
  • about the sale of books beinga game of chance’ ( letter to R. F. Cooke, 12 April 1881 ). On 18
  • for more suggestions of such plants, especially annuals ( letter to W. T. Thiselton-Dyer, 21 March
  • supposed he would feelless sulky in a day or two’ ( letter to R. F. Cooke, 29 July 1881 ). The
  • dead a work falls at this late period of the season’ ( letter from R. F. Cooke, 30 July 1881 ). …
  • conversation with you’, a Swedish teacher told him ( letter from C. E. Södling, 14 October 1881 ), …
  • add, however little, to the general stock of knowledge’ ( letter to E. W. Bok, 10 May 1881 ). …
  • regularbread-winners’ ( Correspondence vol. 30, letter to C. A. Kennard, 9 January 1882 ). …
  • any future publication & to acknowledge any criticism’ ( letter to C. G. Semper, 19 July 1881
  • view of the nature & capabilities of the Fuegians’ ( letter to W. P. Snow, 22 November 1881 ). …
  • the kindly protection of the high priests of science’ ( letter from Francisco de Arruda Furtado, 29
  • Nature , which he thoughtan excellent Journal’ ( letter to G. J. Romanes, 4 July [1881] ). In
  • minds, without being in the least conscious of it’ ( letter to Alexander Agassiz, 5 May 1881 ). …
  • this produced about the year 1840(?) on all our minds’ ( letter to John Lubbock, [18 September 1881
  • big oneand hadgone much outof his mind ( letter to J. D. Hooker, 20 June [1881] ). Feeling
  • than for originality’, and telling Hooker, ‘Your long letter has stirred many pleasant memories of
  • in heavenwhen the portrait was finished ( letter to G. H. Darwin, 23 July 1881 ). ‘All my family
  • method in future science classes, the American entomologist Charles Riley praised Darwin for not
  • in plants. A critical study of the work of the same name by Charles Darwin, together with new
  • loss of a close friend were prompted by the publication of Charles Lyells Life, letters, and
  • was nearly 40 years ago!’ Darwin, himself, told Thomas Farrer on 28 August , ‘The death of my
  • the terms of the 1876 Cruelty to Animals Act ( letter to T. L. Brunton, 19 November 1881 ). Darwin
  • year ended with the happy news of a birth. On 7 December, Charles and Emma Darwins second

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: 20 hits

  • bits of family history. On 1 January , a distant cousin, Charles Harrison Tindal, sent a cache of
  • my grandfathers character is of much value to me’ ( letter to C. H. Tindal, 5 January 1880 ). …
  • have influenced the whole Kingdom, & even the world’ ( letter from J. L. Chester, 3 March 1880
  • delighted to find an ordinary mortal who could laugh’ ( letter from W. E. Darwin to Charles and
  • much powder & shot’ ( Correspondence vol. 27, letter from Ernst Krause, 7 June 1879 , and
  • modified; but now I much regret that I did not do so’ ( letter to Samuel Butler, 3 January 1880 ). …
  • anddecided on laying the matter before the public’ ( letter from Samuel Butler, 21 January 1880
  • … , sending one or both to his daughter Henrietta ( letter to H. E. Litchfield, 1 February [1880] ). …
  • he will have the last word’, she warned ( letter from H. E. Litchfield, [1 February 1880] ). ‘He
  • him Darwinophobia? It is a horrid disease’ ( letter from T. H. Huxley, 3 February 1880 ). …
  • I was, also, rarely fit to see anybody’ ( letter to S. H. Haliburton, 13 December 1880 ). …
  • thus one looks to prevent its return’ ( letter from J.-H. Fabre, 18 February 1880 ). Darwin shared
  • biologist of our time’ ( letter from W. D. Roebuck to G. H. Darwin, 25 October 1880 ). The
  • about 21 years since the Origin appeared”‘ ( letter to T. H. Huxley, 11 [April] 1880 ). While
  • been developed through natural selection’ ( letter to T. H. Huxley, 11 May 1880 ). Worthy
  • claim is not that he is in need, so much as that he cant find employment’ ( Correspondence vol. …
  • the Crown. Darwin asked Arabella Buckley, who had served as Charles Lyells secretary, to draft a
  • prevailing superstitions of this country!’ ( letter to T. H. Huxley, [after 26 November 1880] ). …
  • so private subscriptions were raised, with Darwin, Thomas Farrer, and James Caird leading the
  • Hill Place in Surrey, which became a regular destination for Charles and Emma, and also a site of