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1879 Letters now online

Summary

In 1879, Darwin continued his research on movement in plants and researched, wrote, and published a short biography of his grandfather Erasmus Darwin as an introduction to a translation of an essay by Ernst Krause on Erasmus’s scientific work. Darwin’s son…

Matches: 5 hits

  • youngest son, Horace, became officially engaged to Ida Farrer, after some initial resistance from
  • centre for receiving certain irritations  ( Letter t o Francis Darwin, 2 July [1879] ) …
  • to the real interests of the country .  ( Letter to THFarrer, 23 October 1879 ) …
  • to breed blight-resistant potatoes, with the help of Thomas Farrer, who was permanent secretary at
  • … & more even than strong health .  ( Letter to THFarrer, 13 October 1879 ) …

Darwin in letters, 1879: Tracing roots

Summary

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

Matches: 14 hits

  • an additional worry: the engagement of his son Horace to Ida Farrer, stepdaughter of Darwins niece
  • with the when & the where, & the who—’ ( letter from V. H. Darwin, 28 May [1879] ). On the
  • and well, and with little fatigue’ ( letter to G. H. Darwin, 12 July 1879 , and letter from
  • to W. T. Thiselton-Dyer, 5 June 1879 , and letter to G. H. Darwin, 12 July 1879 ). Darwins
  • The other cloud on the horizon was Thomas Henry Farrers objection to the engagement between his
  • Hall, on several occasions. Horace had first approached Farrer to request Idas hand in marriage in
  • Ida must cease. Emma Darwin persuaded her husband to meet Farrer. ‘This proved most useful’, Emma
  • Darwin, [1 July 1879] (DAR 219.1: 123)). Darwin wrote to Farrer on 27 June to request ten
  • wait for three months. ‘Nothing can be more useless than T.Hs conduct’, Emma Darwin pointed out, …
  • to get home ‘& began drumming at once’ (Emma Darwin to H. E. Litchfield, [27 August 1879] (DAR
  • … & I may not be equal to the exertion’ ( letter to H. A. Pitman, [13 May 1879] ). In the end, …
  • because it dominated the picture (letter from Emma Darwin to H. E. Litchfield, [17 July 1879] (DAR
  • was that his contact at the Board of Trade was Thomas Farrer, who remained steadfast in his wish
  • agreed to their engagement being made public ( letter from T. H. Farrer, 12 October 1879 ). Darwin

List of correspondents

Summary

Below is a list of Darwin's correspondents with the number of letters for each one. Click on a name to see the letters Darwin exchanged with that correspondent.    "A child of God" (1) Abberley,…

Matches: 0 hits

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: 3 hits

  • with which the book has been received.    Letter t o Francis Darwin, 9 November [1881] …
  • me admirable.                        Letter to THFarrer, 28 August 1881 Darwin
  • …                                    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: 1 hits

  • … but not in others. He encouraged research by Thomas Henry Farrer on a complex floral structure in …

Darwin in letters, 1878: Movement and sleep

Summary

In 1878, Darwin devoted most of his attention to the movements of plants. He investigated the growth pattern of roots and shoots, studying the function of specific organs in this process. Working closely with his son Francis, Darwin devised a series of…

Matches: 6 hits

  • … from Francis Darwin, [22 June 1878] ). ‘Sachs doesn’t consider that there is any puzzle as to how …
  • … he was unwell. ‘I was rather seedy last night & didn’t appear at the laboratory & this …
  • … ill favour because however civilly I may word it a man can’t like to have his work torn to shreds …
  • … publish it. While he was in London, Darwin consulted Thomas Farrer at the Board of Trade, who …
  • … 28 [February 1878] ). Further meetings were held with Farrer and James Caird, a member of the Royal …
  • … of the sight of which you must be sick’, he wrote to Farrer on 13 March 1878 . ‘Mr. Torbitt’s …

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: 2 hits

  • … sacrificed to Public life.’ Farrer replied: ‘You don’t know how kind I think your note. This …
  • … life time— I am preparing to go into opposition— I can’t stand it’. Diplomas and honorary …

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: 1 hits

  • … would no doubt do if we had proper data to go by, but don’t think we have got that yet’ ( letter …

Darwin in letters, 1876: In the midst of life

Summary

1876 was the year in which the Darwins became grandparents for the first time.  And tragically lost their daughter-in-law, Amy, who died just days after her son's birth.  All the letters from 1876 are now published in volume 24 of The Correspondence…

Matches: 0 hits

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: 1 hits

  • … was nearly 40 years ago!’ Darwin, himself, told Thomas Farrer on 28 August , ‘The death of my …

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: 1 hits

  • … claim is not that he is in need, so much as that he can’t find employment’ ( Correspondence vol. …

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: 1 hits

  • … do—It is enough to kill anyone’, and asked Thomas Henry Farrer to attempt to influence the …

Darwin in letters, 1877: Flowers and honours

Summary

Ever since the publication of Expression, Darwin’s research had centred firmly on botany. The year 1877 was no exception. The spring and early summer were spent completing Forms of flowers, his fifth book on a botanical topic. He then turned to the…

Matches: 1 hits

  • … of a Roman villa near Thomas Farrar’s home in Surrey; and Farrer sent him a ‘worm journal’ with …