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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: 21 hits
- … in Down, where his brother Erasmus had been interred in 1881. But some of his scientific friends …
- … vol. 29, letter from Arthur de Souza Corrêa, 28 December 1881 ). Darwin had a long-running …
- … 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 …
- … Correspondence vol. 29, letter to Emily Talbot, 19 July 1881 ) was also published in the …
- … American, Caroline Kennard, had written on 26 December 1881 (see Correspondence vol. 29) to …
- … on the topic of science and art. He had sat for Collier in 1881 for a portrait commissioned by the …
- … letter from John Collier, 22 February 1882 ; T. H. Huxley 1881, pp. 199–245). Huxley used …
- … discoverer of tidal evolution’ ( Nature , 24 November 1881, p. 81). Darwin boasted to Rich: …
- … the birth of his first child (Erasmus Darwin) on 7 December 1881. Finally, Darwin had a second …
- … and was no longer able to take his daily strolls (Henrietta Emma Litchfield, ‘Charles Darwin’s death …
- … E. Litchfield to G. H. Darwin, 17 March 1882 (DAR 245: 319)) Emma wrote ten days later: ‘You will …
- … been a good deal plagued with dull aching in the chest’ (Emma Darwin to G. H. Darwin, [ c . 28 …
- … benefit & he escaped pain entirely yesterday’ (letter from Emma Darwin to G. H. Darwin, 6 April …
- … wrote to George, who had visited Down on 11 April (Emma Darwin’s diary (DAR 242)). ‘Father was taken …
- … H. Darwin, [19 April 1882] (DAR 245: 320)). It was left to Emma to convey the sorrowful news to his …
- … which I hope were never very violent’ ( letter from Emma Darwin to J. D. Hooker, [20 April 1882 …
- … they were the most overflowing in tenderness’ (letter from Emma Darwin to W. E. Darwin, 10 May 1882 …
- … was eagerly awaited by his family, including his cousin Emma Wedgwood. In long letters to her sister …
- … plied him with questions without any mercy’ ( letter from Emma Wedgwood to F. E. E. Wedgwood, [28 …
- … by Lyell’s sister-in-law Katherine (see K. M. Lyell ed. 1881, 2: 445–6). A complete draft and …
Earthworms
Summary
As with many of Darwin’s research topics, his interest in worms spanned nearly his entire working life. Some of his earliest correspondence about earthworms was written and received in the 1830s, shortly after his return from his Beagle voyage, and his…
Matches: 7 hits
- … Questions | Experiment Earthworms and Wedgwood cousins As with many of …
- … of his own family, in particular his nieces, Lucy and Sophy Wedgwood, the daughters of Emma Darwin& …
- … these two young women, even going so far as to submit Lucy Wedgwood's observations for …
- … Geological Society (Ser. 2) 5:505-509. Darwin, C.R. 1881. The Formation of Vegetable Mould, …
- … Letters Letter 385 - Sarah Elizabeth Wedgwood & Josiah Wedgwood to Darwin, 10 …
- … Mary Catherine Stanley (Lady Derby) to Darwin, 16 October 1881 Among pleasantries about the …
- … Vegetable Mould and Earth-Worms (London: John Murray, 1881), 26. [2] Ibid., 26-27. …
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: 5 hits
- … , with observations on their habits, which was published in 1881. Despite Darwin’s fears that a book …
- … earthworms. Although his monograph was not published until 1881, he had long been interested in …
- … had been inspired by observations made by his uncle, Josiah Wedgwood of the uniform structure of the …
- … at, but also to Francis Darwin playing the bassoon, and to Emma Darwin’s piano playing. From 1872, …
- … anyone wd suppose’ ( letter to W. E. Darwin, 31 January [1881] (CUL DAR 210.6: 173)). …
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: 10 hits
- … could laugh’ ( letter from W. E. Darwin to Charles and Emma Darwin, 22 July 1880 ). Sales …
- … Butler, 3 January 1880 ). At the top of Butler’s letter, Emma Darwin wrote: ‘it means war we think’ …
- … from scientific debate. The matter spilled over into January 1881. With Henrietta’s aid, the advice …
- … my excitement’ ( letter from Horace Darwin to Emma Darwin, [18 September 1880] ). Darwin’s …
- … bags ( letter from G. J. Romanes, [6, 13, or 20] March 1881 ). Romanes was at work on a lengthy …
- … October 1880 ). The president of the society explained to Emma that the members of the union wished …
- … …“Come of Age”‘ ( letter from W. C. Williamson to Emma Darwin, 2 September 1880 ). In April, …
- … memorial was eventually submitted to Gladstone in January 1881 and was successful. For a copy of the …
- … year was marked by the loss of several close family members. Emma’s brother Josiah Wedgwood III died …
- … Surrey, which became a regular destination for Charles and Emma, and also a site of scientific …
1.2 George Richmond, marriage portrait
Summary
< Back to Introduction Few likenesses of Darwin in his youth survive, although more may once have existed. In a letter of 1873 an old Shrewsbury friend, Arthur Mostyn Owen, offered to send Darwin a watercolour sketch of him, painted many years…
Matches: 11 hits
- … House, celebrated his marriage in January 1839 to his cousin Emma Wedgwood; the one of Darwin is …
- … theories. As early as February 1839, Elizabeth Wedgwood had written to her sister Emma: ‘My …
- … Italy – or would a portrait by Holmes be preferable?’ Emma in response promised, ‘I will go and get …
- … not return from Italy until August or September 1839. Josiah Wedgwood himself wrote to his daughter …
- … arranging ‘to send you Richmond’s pictures of self and Emma’: ‘self’ presumably means Charles, and …
- … was being assembled, so that both the Darwin and the Wedgwood families would have one. It is …
- … lent Richmond’s watercolour drawings of Charles and Emma, with a note that the one of Charles had an …
- … – the only one she knew about – to 1840. However, in Emma Darwin: A Century of Family Letters …
- … Murray, 1887), vol. 3, p. 371. Henrietta Litchfield (ed.), Emma Darwin: A Century of Family …
- … University Press, 1933), frontispiece. Barbara and Hensleigh Wedgwood, The Wedgwood Circle 1730 …
- … and that they went to Down only after Erasmus’s death in 1881; this seemingly conflicts with the …
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: 4 hits
- … Letter 13230 — Darwin, C. R. to Graham, William, 3 July 1881 Darwin praises Graham’s Creed …
- … members of his own family. Letter 441 — Wedgwood, Emma to Darwin, C. R., [21–22 Nov …
- … conscientious doubts”. Letter 471 — Darwin, Emma to Darwin, C. R., [c. Feb 1839] …
- … — Darwin, C. R. to Fegan, J. W. C., [Dec 1880 – Feb 1881] Darwin writes to J. W. C Fegan, a …
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.…
Science: A Man’s World?
Summary
Discussion Questions|Letters Darwin's correspondence show that many nineteenth-century women participated in the world of science, be it as experimenters, observers, editors, critics, producers, or consumers. Despite this, much of the…
Matches: 3 hits
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: 10 hits
- … and various dissenting establishments. In the Darwin and Wedgwood households, formal adherence to …
- … the late 1830s, and in correspondence with his fiancée, Emma Wedgwood, in 1838 and 1839, as can be …
- … of England. The whole family took the sacrament, although Emma used to make the children turn around …
- … and Charles were buried; later Darwin’s brother Erasmus, Emma’s sister Sarah, Emma herself, and …
- … church involvement can be attributed to the influence of Emma, whose religious scruples are …
- … Ffinden strongly disapproved of the Darwins. In his eyes, Emma’s Unitarian leanings and Darwin’s …
- … schools in this period, the Down school was Anglican. Emma wished it to be used as a reading room …
- … supported Fegan’s work in the village, writing in 1880 or 1881: ‘your services have done more for …
- … (letter to J. W. C. Fegan, [December 1880 – February 1881] ). Indeed, the Darwin family even …
- … increase his desire to actually attend Sunday services with Emma and the children. Darwin’s life 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: 7 hits
- … satisfaction. Assisted in the wording by his wife, Emma, and daughter Henrietta, he finally wrote a …
- … a comfortable cabin ( see letter from Leonard Darwin to Emma Darwin, [after 26 June -- 28 September …
- … failure of observations in New Zealand (see G. B. Airy ed. 1881). Darwin’s third son Francis …
- … to become Darwin’s secretary. They rented Down Lodge and Emma Darwin wrote, ‘They have . . . made …
- … the average in prettiness & snugness’ ( letter from Emma Darwin to J. B. Innes, 12 October …
- … letter to Down School Board, [after 29 November 1873] ). Emma saw a ‘great blessing’ in the rumour …
- … dead uncle’s position of vicar of Deptford ( letter from Emma Darwin to J. B. Innes, 12 October …
Women as a scientific audience
Summary
Target audience? | Female readership | Reading Variation Darwin's letters, in particular those exchanged with his editors and publisher, reveal a lot about his intended audience. Regardless of whether or not women were deliberately targeted as a…
Darwin in letters, 1837–1843: The London years to 'natural selection'
Summary
The seven-year period following Darwin's return to England from the Beagle voyage was one of extraordinary activity and productivity in which he became recognised as a naturalist of outstanding ability, as an author and editor, and as a professional…
Matches: 8 hits
- … years after his return, Darwin became engaged to his cousin, Emma Wedgwood. The letters they …
- … by Darwin from a suggestion made by his uncle, Josiah Wedgwood II, during one of Darwin’s visits to …
- … Lyell’s sister-in-law, Katharine Lyell, between 1875 and 1881, when she was collecting material for …
- … (Simpson 1961, p. 53). Marriage Darwin married Emma Wedgwood in January 1839. His …
- … ( Correspondence vol. 2, Appendix III). The letters that Emma and Darwin subsequently exchanged …
- … correspondence is that Darwin had evidently communicated to Emma that he had doubts about religion, …
- … as she was, from marrying him. Just after their marriage, Emma states that she has the impression …
- … were no doubts as to how one ought to act’ ( Letter from Emma Darwin, [ c. February 1839] ). …
Darwin as mentor
Summary
Darwin provided advice, encouragement and praise to his fellow scientific 'labourers' of both sexes. Selected letters Letter 2234 - Darwin to Unidentified, [5 March 1858] Darwin advises that Professor C. P. Smyth’s observations are not…
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.…
