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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: 20 hits

  • The year 1874 was one of consolidation, reflection, and turmoil for Darwin. He spent the early
  • dispute over an anonymous review that attacked the work of Darwins son George dominated the second
  • and traveller Alexander von Humboldts 105th birthday, Darwin obliged with a reflection on his debt
  • during prolonged intervals’ ( letter to D. T. Gardner, [ c . 27 August 1874] ). The death of a
  • and collecting beetles ( letter from W. D. Fox, 8 May [1874] ).  Such reminiscences led Darwin to
  • much more than forwards’ ( letter to W. D. Fox, 11 May [1874] ). I feel very old &amp
  • Andrew Clark, whom he had been consulting since August 1873. Darwin had originally thought that
  • old & helpless’  ( letter to B. J. Sulivan, 6 January [1874] ). Darwin mentioned his poor
  • on the matter ( letter from Ernst Haeckel, 26 October 1874 ). Séances, psychics, and
  • Joseph Dalton Hooker ( letter to J. D. Hooker, 18 January [1874] ). Later in the month, …
  • and an imposter’ ( letter from T. H. Huxley, 27 January 1874 ). Darwin agreed that it wasall
  • Descent  was published in November 1874 ( letter from R. F. Cooke, 12 November 1874 ). Though
  • on subsequent print runs would be very good ( letter from R. F. Cooke, 12 November 1874 ). …
  • in a few hours dissolve the hardest cartilage, bone & meat &c. &c.’ ( letter to W. D. …
  • whether at theclose of the putrefaction of flesh, skin &c, any substance is produced before
  • details of an Australian variety of sundew ( letter from T. C. Copland, 23 June 1874 ). …
  • Dohrn, 16 April and 9 August 1874 ). Darwin also helped Michael Foster to prepare a printed appeal
  • Sharpe for promotion at the British Museum ( letter to R. B. Sharpe, 24 November [1874] ).  He
  • head that M r  Spencers terms of equilibration &c always bother me & make everything less
  • to work in the physiological laboratory established by Michael Foster. He then studied under John

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: 22 hits

  • The year 1876 started out sedately enough with Darwin working on the first draft of his book on the
  • games. ‘I have won, hurrah, hurrah, 2795 games’, Darwin boasted; ‘my wifepoor creature, has won
  • regarding the ailments that were so much a feature of Darwin family life. But the calm was not to
  • four days later. ‘I cannot bear to think of the future’, Darwin confessed to William on 11
  • once, the labour of checking proofs proved a blessing, as Darwin sought solace for the loss of his
  • and his baby son Bernard now part of the household, and Darwin recasting his work on dimorphic and
  • had involved much time and effort the previous year, and Darwin clearly wanted to focus his
  • of the second edition of Climbing plants ( letter from R. F. Cooke, 23 February 1876 ). When
  • single-volume edition titled Geological observations , Darwin resisted making any revisions at
  • volume, Coral reefs , already in its second edition. Darwin was neverthelessfirmly resolved not
  • meticulous correction of errors in the German editions made Darwin less anxious about correcting the
  • to Carus. ( Letter to J. V. Carus, 24 April 1876. ) Darwin focused instead on the second
  • concentrated on themeans of crossing’, was seen by Darwin as the companion to Cross and self
  • return to old work than part of the future work outlined by Darwin in hislittle Autobiography’ ( …
  • effected by his forthcoming pamphlet, Darwin confounded (C. OShaughnessy 1876), which, he
  • and who had succeeded in giving him pain ( letter to A. R. Wallace, 17 June 1876 ). Although
  • Mivart made a slanderous attack on George Darwin in late 1874 in an anonymous article, which
  • Darwin declared to his father on 31 May . The physiologist Michael Foster, according to George, …
  • years experiments’ ( letter from G. J. Romanes, [ c . 19 March 1876] ). A less welcome reaction
  • the referee (whom he knew to be the Cambridge physiologist Michael Foster), he requested an abstract
  • because of along and terrible illness’ ( letter to C. S. Wedgwood, 20 April 1876 ). By the time
  • in harmony with yours’ ( letter from George Henslow, [ c. 7 December 1876] ). A more typical

Animals, ethics, and the progress of science

Summary

Darwin’s view on the kinship between humans and animals had important ethical implications. In Descent, he argued that some animals exhibited moral behaviour and had evolved mental powers analogous to conscience. He gave examples of cooperation, even…

Matches: 23 hits

  • Darwins view on the kinship between humans and animals had important ethical
  • a live worm on a hook (‘Recollections’, pp. 358, 388). Darwins concern for animals aligned with
  • and an integral part of medical and veterinary training. Darwin was clearly disturbed by the
  • about it, else I shall not sleep to-night’ ( letter to E. R. Lankester, 22 March [1871] ). In
  • to the last hour of his life’ ( Descent 1: 40). Darwins closest encounter with
  • on rabbits. The investigation was partly aimed at testing Darwinshypothesis of pangenesis’, which
  • of different breeds together. Galton reported regularly to Darwin on the results (all negative). He
  • Society, calling into question the theory of pangenesis. Darwin was taken aback, and swiftly replied
  • no longer look after the rabbits (many died from the cold), Darwin offered to give the poor
  • more influenced by experiments on animals than on plants’, Darwin conceded. ‘I think a large number
  • … ( letter to G. J. Romanes, 18 July 1875 ). Darwin was concerned that the method be painless, …
  • can be chloroformed (letter to G. J. Romanes, 27 December 1874 ). In the previous sections
  • were analogous to those performed on dogs and other animals. Darwins work on insectivorous plants
  • John Scott Burdon Sanderson, Thomas Lauder Brunton, Michael Foster, and Edward Emanuel Klein, all of
  • an acquaintance of the Darwins, and had corresponded with Darwin cordially about his moral theory, …
  • … ( letter to F. B. Cobbe, [14 January 1875] ). Darwins involvement in the vivisection
  • of which we can now see the bearings in regard to health &c, I look at as puerile. Darwin
  • with costly equipment, a supply of animals, etc.. Darwin was concerned thatprivate menwould be
  • … ( letter to H. E. Litchfield, 4 January [1875] ) Darwin worked closely with Burdon
  • the total abolition of the practice. ‘It seems to me’, Darwin remarked to George Romanes, ‘that
  • organised defence. To bring more solidarity to the field, Darwins son Francis, and a number of his
  • … ( letter from T. L. Brunton, 12 February 1882 ). Darwin declined the offer to be honorary
  • had its first meeting on 20 April 1882, the day after Darwins death. While Darwin was