To Nature 22 February [1881]
Summary
Summarises the "remarkable facts about the movements of plants" in Fritz Müller’s letter of January [12996]. CD comments that Müller’s observations support the conclusion that he and Francis Darwin arrived at – that leaves go to sleep to escape the full effects of radiation.
| Author: | Charles Robert Darwin |
| Addressee: | Nature |
| Date: | 22 Feb [1881] |
| Classmark: | Nature, 3 March 1881, p. 409 |
| Letter no: | DCP-LETT-13061 |
To Nature 14 April [1881]
Summary
Summarises a letter from Fritz Müller [missing] giving details of leaf movement in Mucuna, Desmodium, and Bauhinia. CD is especially interested in the paraheliotropic movements, which appear to be as common as sleep movements.
| Author: | Charles Robert Darwin |
| Addressee: | Nature |
| Date: | 14 Apr [1881] |
| Classmark: | Nature, 28 April 1881, pp. 603–4 |
| Letter no: | DCP-LETT-13117 |
To Nature 13 July [1881]
Summary
Communicates two cases of inheritance reported by J. P. Bishop [in 13137]. The work of E. Brown-Séquard has demonstrated that effects of injuries can be inherited ["Hereditary transmission of an epileptiform affection accidentally produced", Proc. R. Soc. Lond. 10 (1860): 297–8]. E. Dupuy has sent CD a still more remarkable case.
| Author: | Charles Robert Darwin |
| Addressee: | Nature |
| Date: | 13 July [1881] |
| Classmark: | Nature, 21 July 1881, p. 257 |
| Letter no: | DCP-LETT-13245 |
To Nature [before 15 September 1881]
Summary
Quotes from a Fritz Müller letter of 9 Aug supporting CD’s views that leaves position themselves at night so as to minimise heat loss by radiation. It is a new fact to CD that leaves take different positions at different seasons.
| Author: | Charles Robert Darwin |
| Addressee: | Nature |
| Date: | [before 15 Sept 1881] |
| Classmark: | Nature, 15 September 1881, p. 459 |
| Letter no: | DCP-LETT-13338 |
To Nature 7 November [1881]
Summary
Summarises letter of William Nation [13350]. The facts given strongly support the conclusion that there is some close connection between the parasitic habits of birds that lay their eggs in others’ nests and the fact of their laying eggs at "considerable intervals of time".
| Author: | Charles Robert Darwin |
| Addressee: | Nature |
| Date: | 7 Nov [1881] |
| Classmark: | Nature, 17 November 1881, p. 51 |
| Letter no: | DCP-LETT-13471 |
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 May 1881, Darwin, one of the best-known celebrities in England if not the world, …
- … Balfour translated Krause’s account and published it in Nature , and George Romanes wrote such …
- … was another source of pleasure in the early months of 1881. This book had been a major undertaking …
- … making 2000’ ( letter to H. E. Litchfield, 4 January 1881 ). Unlike Darwin’s other books, …
- … of leaves that were so original that Darwin sent them to Nature for publication. Darwin, who was …
- … case is to me’ (letters to W. E. Darwin, 31 January [1881] and 19 February [1881] ). On 7 …
- … individual experience ( letter from G. J. Romanes, 7 March 1881 ). The difficulty with earthworms …
- … were trustworthy ( letter to Francis Galton, 8 March [1881] ). Although results from earlier …
- … ‘a game of chance’ ( letter to R. F. Cooke, 12 April 1881 ). On 18 May he described his work on …
- … to me that anyone could watch the movements & doubt its nature. But these doubts have led me to …
- … annuals ( letter to W. T. Thiselton-Dyer, 21 March [1881] ). Darwin thought flowers of the semi- …
- … sulky in a day or two’ ( letter to R. F. Cooke, 29 July 1881 ). The degree of Darwin’s distress …
- … period of the season’ ( letter from R. F. Cooke, 30 July 1881 ). Darwin gave in. ‘I am now uneasy …
- … He was scrupulous in sending any important observations to Nature or incorporating them into his …
- … teacher told him ( letter from C. E. Södling, 14 October 1881 ), while H. M. Wallis, who sent …
- … general stock of knowledge’ ( letter to E. W. Bok, 10 May 1881 ). Josef Popper, an expert on …
- … any criticism’ ( letter to C. G. Semper, 19 July 1881 ). He continued his friendly disagreement …
- … there proves that I took a very erroneous view of the nature & capabilities of the Fuegians’ ( …
- … on the shoulder (l etter from B. J. Sulivan, 18 March 1881 ). Among numerous new …
- … ( letter from Francisco de Arruda Furtado, 29 July 1881 ). Likewise, among the many books …
- … scientific material Darwin received, he subscribed to Nature , which he thought ‘an excellent …
- … conscious of it’ ( letter to Alexander Agassiz, 5 May 1881 ). His scientific friends, however, did …
- … on all our minds’ ( letter to John Lubbock, [18 September 1881] ). When Hooker, anxious about his …
- … much out’ of his mind ( letter to J. D. Hooker, 20 June [1881] ). Feeling ‘awfully guilty’ for …
- … & many a good fight’ (letters to J. D. Hooker, 6 August 1881 and 12 August 1881 ). …
- … problem: he had been asked to review Wiesner’s book for Nature . ‘It might be an opportunity of …
- … response to Wiesner’s book appeared in the issue of Nature published the day after Darwin’s …
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: 14 hits
- … in Down, where his brother Erasmus had been interred in 1881. But some of his scientific friends …
- … thin slices, yet are found to differ greatly in the nature of their contents, if immersed for …
- … 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 …
- … A lecture by Robert Stawell Ball that was printed in Nature declared George ‘the discoverer of …
- … the birth of his first child (Erasmus Darwin) on 7 December 1881. Finally, Darwin had a second …
- … all the breeds from India & China. Any assistance of this nature would be invaluable; but I know …
- … by Lyell’s sister-in-law Katherine (see K. M. Lyell ed. 1881, 2: 445–6). A complete draft and …
- … seems to me a much more difficult point from its graduated nature: some time ago my son, Mr G. …
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: 4 hits
- … experiment as an illustration of its tender and sympathetic nature: ‘everyone has heard of the dog …
- … Darwin was taken aback, and swiftly replied in a letter to Nature , insisting that he had never …
- … for his ‘ingenuity and perseverance’ ( letter to Nature , [before 27 April 1871] ). When Galton …
- … honorary president ( letter to T. L. Brunton, 17 December 1881 ). The organization had its first …
1.18 John Collier, oil in Linnean
Summary
< Back to Introduction By 1881 it was clear to Darwin’s intimates that he was increasingly frail, and that, as he approached death, he had finally escaped from religious controversy to become a heroic figure, loved and venerated for his achievements…
Matches: 11 hits
- … < Back to Introduction By 1881 it was clear to Darwin’s intimates that he was …
- … Society in 1858. Moreover, the Society was now, in May 1881, dominated by Darwinians. Its President …
- … moved. ‘In my mind, however, I associate him always with nature which he loved and wished to …
- … work and any other subject that cropped up.’ On 7 August 1881 Darwin was able to report to Romanes …
- … painter, had a reputation for straightforward truth to nature in portraits – ‘calm common sense of …
- … is pictured as wholly free from worldly pretension. Study of nature ‘which he loved and wished to …
- … saw nothing in this painting but a moving truth to nature. By the time it was exhibited at the Royal …
- … of image John Collier date of creation 1881 computer-readable date …
- … archive, manuscript letter LL/8, Darwin to Romanes, 27 May 1881. Correspondence between Darwin and …
- … Letter from Darwin to his son George, 23 July 1881, telling him the picture was finished (DCP-LETT …
- … pp. 118–121, correspondence between Romanes and Darwin in 1881 (DCP-LETT-13173, 13229, 13282). …
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: 4 hits
- … from scientific debate. The matter spilled over into January 1881. With Henrietta’s aid, the advice …
- … boundary, the origins of the nervous system, and the nature of ‘sensitivity’. Francis Balfour …
- … bags ( letter from G. J. Romanes, [6, 13, or 20] March 1881 ). Romanes was at work on a lengthy …
- … memorial was eventually submitted to Gladstone in January 1881 and was successful. For a copy of the …
Richard Henry Corfield
Summary
Richard Henry Corfield was in his final year at Shrewsbury School when Darwin started there. It’s hard to say how well they knew each other, but fifteen years later Corfield appeared again in Darwin’s life as a surprisingly familiar face on the other side…
4.41 'Punch', Sambourne cartoon 2
Summary
< Back to Introduction In October 1881, Darwin was included in Linley Sambourne’s series of ‘Punch’s Fancy Portraits’ of celebrities as No. 54. While the caption recurs to the old theme of Darwin’s views on human ancestry, the drawing contains a more…
Matches: 4 hits
- … < Back to Introduction In October 1881, Darwin was included in Linley Sambourne’s …
- … sympathetic – his close, patient and sustained study of nature and his lack of pretension. …
- … Linley Sambourne date of creation October 1881 computer-readable date 1881 …
- … references and bibliography Punch vol. 81 (22 October 1881), p. 190. Janet Browne, Charles …
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: 9 hits
- … can be said of the evolution controversy today; however the nature of the disputes and the manner in …
- … reviews of Origin . He also shares his view on design in nature. Although he does not believe in …
- … given to the subject. He poses Gray a question on design in nature, as he is in a “muddle” on this …
- … He says he is in a “thick mud” regarding design in nature, and more inclined to “show a white flag …
- … Letter 13230 — Darwin, C. R. to Graham, William, 3 July 1881 Darwin praises Graham’s Creed …
- … Darwin’s reluctance to take a definitive position on the nature of God through correspondence with a …
- … James Shaw praises Darwin’s theory. He believes beauty in nature is caused by sexual selection, but …
- … Darwin overlooks God’s intention to instruct man by nature’s beauty. Letter 5648 — …
- … — Darwin, C. R. to Fegan, J. W. C., [Dec 1880 – Feb 1881] Darwin writes to J. W. C Fegan, a …
Dipsacus and Drosera: Frank’s favourite carnivores
Summary
In Autumn of 1875, Francis Darwin was busy researching aggregation in the tentacles of Drosera rotundifolia (F. Darwin 1876). This phenomenon occurs when coloured particles within either protoplasm or the fluid in the cell vacuole (the cell sap) cluster…
Matches: 9 hits
- … to allow an excerpt of his letter to be published in Nature , corroborating some of the ‘ vital …
- … appeared in the journal by the end of the month ( Nature , 23 August 1877, p. 339). Although, as …
- … the protoplasmic Drosera exudate, he disagreed on the nature and function of aggregation. …
- … digestive) properties and was therefore not protoplasmic in nature. Darwin was quick to …
- … believe that the filaments consist of living matter of the nature of protoplasm. ’ He is referring …
- … again, for I am sure that it is worth it.’ As late as 1881, less than a year before his death, …
- … , Francis accepted that he and his father had erred on the nature of aggregation in Drosera : …
- … differences in seed production dependent on both amount and nature of introduced animal …
- … Darwin, C. 1877. The Contractile Filaments of the Teasel. Nature 16, 339. Darwin, C. 1888 …
Darwin's bad days
Summary
Despite being a prolific worker who had many successes with his scientific theorising and experimenting, even Darwin had some bad days. These times when nothing appeared to be going right are well illustrated by the following quotations from his letters:
Matches: 1 hits
- … Despite being a prolific worker who had many successes with his scientific theorising and …
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: 8 hits
- … ( letter from T. H. Huxley, 14 April 1874 ). The technical nature of Huxley’s argument prompted …
- … failure of observations in New Zealand (see G. B. Airy ed. 1881). Darwin’s third son Francis …
- … a source of inspiration. In April, he wrote a letter to Nature, observing that the flowers of …
- … primroses were abundant in each district ( letter to Nature , 18 April [1874] ). He …
- … M. Story-Maskelyne, 4 May 1874 ). In a second letter to Nature , Darwin summarised the …
- … blindfolded from the moment of being hatched ( letter to Nature , 7 and 11 May [1874] ; …
- … with the contraction of Dionaea leaves in Nature (Burdon Sanderson 1874). Hooker also …
- … ). He featured in the scientific worthies series in Nature ( letter to J. N. Lockyer, 13 May …
3.21 Herbert Rose Barraud, photos
Summary
< Back to Introduction The successful portrait photographer Herbert Rose Barraud, who had studios in London and Liverpool, photographed Darwin in the summer of 1881, in a group of four or so close-up head-and-shoulders portraits. This was probably at…
Matches: 4 hits
- … London and Liverpool, photographed Darwin in the summer of 1881, in a group of four or so close-up …
- … Barraud for photographs, presumably these ones, on 6 July 1881, establishing their approximate date …
- … photographic and fine art publisher. Given the sympathetic nature of these portrayals of Darwin at …
- … Herbert Rose Barraud date of creation 1881 computer-readable date c.1881-01 …
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…
Matches: 1 hits
- … plants; he has recommended that she send her manuscript to Nature for publication. …
Darwin on human evolution
Summary
'I hear that Ladies think it delightful reading, but that it does not do to talk about it, which no doubt promotes the sale.' For the first time online you can now read the full texts of nearly 800 letters Darwin wrote and received during 1871,…
Matches: 1 hits
- … their effect on the soil. His researches were published in 1881. He also resumed his work on …
Race, Civilization, and Progress
Summary
Darwin's first reflections on human progress were prompted by his experiences in the slave-owning colony of Brazil, and by his encounters with the Yahgan peoples of Tierra del Fuego. Harsh conditions, privation, poor climate, bondage and servitude,…
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: 3 hits
- … doubts about orthodox belief, and his speculations about the nature of religion are evident in his …
- … 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 …
Interview with John Hedley Brooke
Summary
John Hedley Brooke is President of the Science and Religion Forum as well as the author of the influential Science and Religion: Some Historical Perspectives (Cambridge University Press, 1991). He has had a long career in the history of science and…
Matches: 16 hits
- … what the real entities are in the universe. Is the world of nature simply a collection of material …
- … we have aesthetic appreciation: we can appreciate beauty in nature, we have mathematical skills, we …
- … if you suggested there were other agencies at work in nature. So I do see a certain parallel there. …
- … that the affirmation of some kind of intelligence behind nature once was constitutive of scientific …
- … whether it has had a very interesting history, both through nature and through human interactions …
- … it were, a progressively more refined understanding of the nature of God. And that process of …
- … displayed by monkeys. He writes about this in a letter in 1881 to William Graham : Would any one …
- … first primordial forms, or indeed in setting up the laws of nature so that human beings would …
- … a flea, or something of that kind. This participation in nature was certainly emphasised by many …
- … was supposed to be intimately involved in the affairs of nature. So you have the very …
- … reverence for you, whom I look upon as the High priest of nature. But the Church would condemn me to …
- … in which there had originally been a theological response to nature, then a more metaphysical …
- … were certainly able to do. Those kinds of responses to nature need not be obliterated by scientific …
- … enable us to get into a more serious discussion about: how nature should be interpreted; how we gain …
- … certainly still meant knowledge, or provisional knowledge of nature. Or probable knowledge of …
- … some kind of divine initiative in interactions with nature. There’s even evidence that Newton …
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.…
Matches: 3 hits
British Association meeting 1860
Summary
Several letters refer to events at the British Association for the Advancement of Science held in Oxford, 26 June – 3 July 1860. Darwin had planned to attend the meeting but in the end was unable to. The most famous incident of the meeting was the verbal…
Matches: 3 hits
- … (L. Huxley 1918, 1: 521–4); Charles Lyell (K. M. Lyell ed. 1881, 2: 335–6); John Lubbock (Hutchinson …
- … in order to prevent that uniformity in the aspect of Nature, which would have prevailed if plants …
- … structure, and development of plants in a state of nature and under cultivation; and he should, …
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: 5 hits
- … evolutionary account of the ‘higher’ faculties of human nature: reason, conscience, and aesthetic …
- … Darwin to rest the uniqueness of humans on their fallen nature: sin has infected the being of humans …
- … hypothesis. Darwin quickly responded with a letter to Nature , questioning one of the central …
- … had not yet ‘received its death blow’ ( letter to Nature , [before 27 April 1871] ). The …
- … foundations of religious belief, Christian charity, and the nature of sympathy are contained in …
