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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: 11 hits

  • … Below is a list of Darwin's correspondents with the number of letters for each one. …
  • … (1) Ansted, D. T. (8) Anthropological Society, …
  • … A. D. (15) Bartlett, Edward (6) …
  • … (2) Bence Jones, Henry (8) Beneden, Édouard …
  • … (1) Berliner Gesellschaft für Anthropologie, Ethnologie und Urgeschichte …
  • … (2) Blackley, C. H. (8) Blackwall, John …
  • … Thomas (2) Bradford, Edward (1) …
  • … Carden, Robert (1) Cardwell, Edward (4) …
  • … Crawte, G. F. (1) Cresy, Edward (1) …
  • … Dareste, Camille (9) Darwin family (1) …
  • … (1) Gould, John (8) Gower, W. H. (1) …

Women’s scientific participation

Summary

Observers | Fieldwork | Experimentation | Editors and critics | Assistants Darwin’s correspondence helps bring to light a community of women who participated, often actively and routinely, in the nineteenth-century scientific community. Here is a…

Matches: 23 hits

  • … |  Editors and critics  |  Assistants Darwins correspondence helps bring to light a
  • community. Here is a selection of letters exchanged between Darwin and his workforce of women
  • Women: Letter 1194 - Darwin to Whitby, M. A. T., [12 August 1849] Darwin
  • peculiarities in inheritance. Letter 3787 - Darwin, H. E. to Darwin, [29 October
  • in her garden. Letter 4523 - Wedgwood, L. C. to Darwin, [6 June 1864] …
  • Letter 6736 - Gray, A. & J. L to Darwin, [8 & 9 May 1869] Jane Loring Gray, …
  • Egypt. Letter 7223 - Darwin to Wedgwood, L. C., [8 June 1867 - 72] Darwin
  • Henrietta. Letter 7179 - Wedgwood, L. C. to Darwin, [5 May 1870] …
  • on her ongoing observations of wormholes. Letter 8611 - Cupples, A. J. to
  • of emotion in dogs with Emma Darwin. Letter 8676 - Treat, M. to Darwin, [13
  • insects or plants on Darwins behalf. Letter 8683 - Roberts, D. to Darwin, [17
  • of an angry pig and her nieces ears. Letter 8701 - Lubbock, E. F . to Darwin, …
  • and insects. Men: Letter 2221 - Blyth, E. to Darwin, [22 February 1858] …
  • the wallpaper. Letter 5756 - Langton, E. & C. to Wedgwood S. E., [after 9
  • Letter 1701 - Morris, M. H. to Prior, R. C. A., [17 June 1855] Margaretta Hare Morris
  • in Llandudno. Letter 4823  - Wedgwood, L. C. to Darwin, H. E., [May 1865] …
  • Letter 8144 - Darwin to Wedgwood, L. C., [5 January 1872] Darwin asks his niece, …
  • Lychnis diurna. Letter 8168 - Ruck, A. R . to Darwin, H., [20 January 1872] …
  • lawn. Letter 8224 - Darwin to Ruck, A. R., [24 February 1872] Darwin
  • Letter 9606 - Harrison, L. C. to Darwin, [22 August 1874] Darwins niece, Lucy, …
  • Letter 1701  - Morris, M. H. to Prior, R. C. A., [17 June 1855] Margaretta Hare Morris
  • garden ”. Letter 6083  - Casparay, J. X. R. to Darwin, [2 April 1868] …
  • Letter 7858 - Darwin to Wa llace, A. R., [12 July 1871] Darwin tells Wallace that

Darwin in letters, 1867: A civilised dispute

Summary

Charles Darwin’s major achievement in 1867 was the completion of his large work, The variation of animals and plants under domestication (Variation). The importance of Darwin’s network of correspondents becomes vividly apparent in his work on expression in…

Matches: 25 hits

  • …   Charles Darwins major achievement in 1867 was the completion of his large work,  …
  • couple of months were needed to index the work, a task that Darwin handed over to someone else for
  • and animals  ( Expression ), published in 1872. Although Darwin had been collecting material and
  • A global reputation The importance of Darwins network of correspondents becomes vividly
  • who might best answer the questions, with the result that Darwin began to receive replies from
  • Variation  would be based on proof-sheets received as Darwin corrected them. Closer to home, two
  • Charles Fleeming Jenkin, challenged different aspects of Darwins theory of transmutation as
  • orchids are fertilised by insects  ( Orchids ). While Darwin privately gave detailed opinions of
  • capable hands of Alfred Russel Wallace. At the same time, Darwin was persuaded by some German
  • were becoming counterproductive. Throughout the year, Darwin continued to discuss now
  • in Germany, and Federico Delpino in Italy, who provided Darwin with the collegial support and
  • tedious dull workThomas Henry Huxley sent Darwin the New Years greeting, ‘may you be
  • number of copies to be printed, and by the end of the month Darwin promised to send the revised
  • to John Murray, 31 January [1867] ). A week later, Darwin had sent the manuscript to the
  • Descent  and  Expression . In the same letter, Darwin revealed the conclusion to his newly
  • As the year progressed, the book continued to consume Darwins time. The first proof-sheets arrived
  • most ought to be introduced’ ( letter to W. S. Dallas, 8 November [1867] ). Dallas resisted the
  • see your second volume onThe Struggle for Existence &c.” for I doubt if we have a sufficiency
  • … “supplemental remarks on expression”’ ( letter to A. R. Wallace, [1217] March [1867] ). Darwins
  • …  2: 75). In notes for his reply to a letter from Edward Blyth dated 19 February 1867 , Darwin had
  • aviary to see whether this was the case ( letter from A. R. Wallace, 24 February [1867] ). He also
  • level. In his response to Wallace ( letter to A. R. Wallace, 26 February [1867] ), Darwin defended
  • to the work I shall find it much better done by you than I c d  have succeeded in doing’ ( letter
  • I have not a word to say against it but such a view c d  hardly come into a scientific book’ ( …
  • Wallace published a long article, ‘Creation by law’ (A. R. Wallace 1867c), which responded to Jenkin

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…

Matches: 8 hits

  • … Female readership | Reading Variation Darwin's letters, in particular those …
  • … a broad variety of women had access to, and engaged with, Darwin's published works. A set of …
  • … women a target audience? Letter 2447 - Darwin to Murray, J., [5 April 1859] …
  • … that his views are original and will appeal to the public. Darwin asks Murray to forward the …
  • … and criticisms of style. Letter 2461 - Darwin to Hooker, J. D., [11 May 1859] …
  • … Letter 7124 - Darwin to Darwin, H. E., [8 February 1870] Darwin seeks Henrietta’s …
  • … Letter 6976 - Darwin to Blackwell, A. L. B., [8 November, 1869] Darwin writes to feminist …
  • … Letter 5712 - Dallas, W. S. to Darwin, [8 December 1867] Translator and author …

Darwin in letters, 1856-1857: the 'Big Book'

Summary

In May 1856, Darwin began writing up his 'species sketch’ in earnest. During this period, his working life was completely dominated by the preparation of his 'Big Book', which was to be called Natural selection. Using letters are the main…

Matches: 24 hits

  • On 14 May 1856, Charles Darwin recorded in his journal that heBegan by Lyells advice  writing
  • more for the sake of priority than anything elseDarwin was reluctant to squeeze his expansive
  • Natural selection . Determined as he was to publish, Darwin nevertheless still felt cautious
  • specialist in Madeiran entomology, Thomas Vernon Wollaston. Darwin also came to rely on the caustic
  • in London. Natural Selection Not all of Darwins manuscript on species has been
  • of pigeons, poultry, and other domesticated animals. As Darwin explained to Lyell, his studies, …
  • he remarked to Hooker ( letter to J. D. Hooker, 8 September [1856] ). I mean to make my
  • considerable research in published and unpublished sources. Edward Blyth needed little encouragement
  • mastiffs. The disparate facts were correlated and checked by Darwin, who adroitly used letters, …
  • my Book as perfect as ever I can.’ ( letter to W. D. Fox, 8 February [1857] ). Darwin also
  • garden species with their wild congeners. Many of Darwins conclusions about the variation of
  • these chapters are not extant. It seems likely that Darwin used the manuscript when compiling  The
  • or lost during the process. Before the publication of Darwin's correspondence from these years, …
  • light on the role that these ideas were intended to play in Darwins formal exposition. …
  • selection could not act without varieties to act upon, Darwin wanted to know where, how, and in what
  • Making the fullest possible use of his botanical friends, Darwin cross-examined them on different
  • and conditions of existence? One useful example that Darwin intended to include in his book was the
  • relatives. But a last-minute check with Hooker revealed that Darwin was mistaken: ‘You have shaved
  • was wrong ( letter to John Lubbock, 14 July [1857] ). Darwin thought his results showed that
  • than relinquish the results achieved after so much effort, Darwin began the whole laborious project
  • Such perseverance is perhaps the key to this period in Darwins life. He brought the same quality of
  • This was the origin and function of sex in nature. Darwin had always been intrigued by the
  • …  not a bird be killed (by hawk, lightning, apoplexy, hail &c) with seeds in crop, & it would
  • and the preparation of his manuscript ( letter to A. R. Wallace, 1 May 1857 ) seem innocuous and

Darwin’s reading notebooks

Summary

In April 1838, Darwin began recording the titles of books he had read and the books he wished to read in Notebook C (Notebooks, pp. 319–28). In 1839, these lists were copied and continued in separate notebooks. The first of these reading notebooks (DAR 119…

Matches: 27 hits

  • In April 1838, Darwin began recording the titles of books he had read and the books he wished to
  • … (DAR 119) opens with five pages of text copied from Notebook C and carries on through 1851; the
  • used these notebooks extensively in dating and annotating Darwins letters; the full transcript
  • … *128). For clarity, the transcript does not record Darwins alterations. The spelling and
  • book had been consulted. Those cases where it appears that Darwin made a genuine deletion have been
  • a few instances, primarily in theBooks Readsections, Darwin recorded that a work had been
  • of the books listed in the other two notebooks. Sometimes Darwin recorded that an abstract of the
  • to be Read [DAR *119: Inside Front Cover] C. Darwin June 1 st . 1838
  • … [DAR *119: 2v.] Whites regular gradation in man [C. White 1799] Lindleys
  • 39. tom. 4. p. 273. Latreille Geographie des Insectes 8 vo  p 181 [Latreille 1819]. see p. …
  • de Serres Cavernes dOssements 7 th  Ed. 10  8 vo . [Serres 1838] good to trace Europ. forms
  • in brutes Blackwood June 1838 [J. F. Ferrie 1838]. H. C. Watson on Geog. distrib: of Brit: …
  • Horticultural Society of London ].— [DAR *119: 8v.] A history of British Birds by
  • de Tératologie, par I. Geoffroy-Saint Hilaire, 3 vols. 8vo. et atlas de 20 planches. ibid, 183236. …
  • Anatomique, par I. Geoffroy-Saint Hilaire, 2 vols. 8vo. avec 2 atlas 4to. ibid, 181823. £1 2 s   …
  • … . [Knapp] 1838] Read Gleanings in Natural History. By Edward Jesse, Surveyor of Her Majestys
  • … [Fellows 1839] Catherine 48 Life of Collins R.A. [Collins 1848] Phases of Faith
  • … [John Paget 1839]— account of Dogs like wolves.— E. Blyth.— read Monograp der Kartoffeln
  • from these portfolios is in DAR 205, the letter from William Edward Shuckard to which CD refers has
  • 44  Probably Francis Boott. 45  Edward Forbes provided sketches and notes for the
  • London. [Other eds.]  *119: 15; 119: 22b Belcher, Edward. 1848Narrative of the voyage
  • domesticorum . Hafniæ.  *128: 182 Bennett, Edward Turner, ed. 1837The natural history
  • … …  [By Gilbert White.] A new edition with notes by Edward Turner Bennett. London. [Abstract in DAR
  • 1848Memoirs of the life of William   Collins, Esq., R.A.  2 vols. London.  *119: 23; 119: …
  • by Richard Owen.  Vol. 4 of  The works of John Hunter, F.R.S. with notes . Edited by James F. …
  • Robert. 1843Memoirs of the life of John   Constable, R.A., composed chiefly of his letters. …
  • Peacock, George. 1855Life of Thomas Young, M.D., F.R.S.  London.  *128: 172; 128: 21

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: 26 hits

  • …   On 6 March 1868, Darwin wrote to the entomologist and accountant John Jenner Weir, ‘If any
  • he ought to do what I am doing pester them with letters.’ Darwin was certainly true to his word. The
  • evolution and sexual selection. In  Origin , pp. 8790, Darwin had briefly introduced the
  • process. In a letter to Alfred Russel Wallace in 1864, Darwin claimed that sexual selection wasthe
  • to the stridulation of crickets. At the same time, Darwin continued to collect material on
  • his immediate circle of friends and relations. In July 1868 Darwin was still anticipating that his
  • which was devoted to sexual selection in the animal kingdom. Darwin described his thirst for
  • Murray to intervene, complaining on 9 January , ‘M r . Dallasdelayis intolerableI am
  • I shall look rather blank’ ( letter from W. S. Dallas, 8 January 1868 ). Darwin sympathised, …
  • contempt of me. I feel convinced it is by Owen’. John Edward Gray, a colleague of Richard Owens in
  • it was by Gray himself, but Darwin corrected him: ‘D r  Gray would strike me in the face, but not
  • … . It is a disgrace to the paper’ ( letter from A. R. Wallace, 24 February [1868] ). The review was
  • April 1868 . The letter was addressed tothe Rev d  C. Darwin M.d’; Binstead evidently assumed
  • to throw off thick dictionaries by flexing. On 5 April , Edward Blyth, who had supplied Darwin
  • I did not see this, or rather I saw it only obs[c]urely, & have kept only a few references.’ …
  • as life he wd find the odour sexual!’ ( letter to A . R. Wallace, 16 September [1868] ). Francis
  • south of France to Sarah Elizabeth Wedgwood on 9 Novembe r, describing sphinx moths that were
  • Harrison Weir, 28 March 1868 ). Writing on the same day, Edward Hewitt reported that female
  • question of theOrigin of Species”’ ( letter from A. R. Wallace, 4 October 1868 ). …
  • hands of the enemies of Nat. Selection’ ( letter from A. R. Wallace, 8 [April] 1868 ). …
  • in Japan ( letter from J. D. Hooker, 5 September 1868 ); Edward Wilson, a neighbour of Darwins, …
  • cry (letters to W. E. Darwin, [15 March 1868] and 8 April [1868] ). Such facts proved
  • of her two-month old daughter Katherine ( letter from C. M. Hawkshaw to Emma Darwin, 9 February
  • for the philosophy of the future.’ Further afield, Edward Wilson remarked on 14 October
  • rest mostly on faith, and on accumulation of adaptations, &c) … Of course I understand your
  • omnipotent and omniscient Creator’ ( letter to Asa Gray, 8 May [1868] ). Others were concerned

The "wicked book": Origin at 157

Summary

Origin is 157 years old.  (Probably) the most famous book in science was published on 24 November 1859.  To celebrate we have uploaded hundreds of new images of letters, bringing the total number you can look at here to over 9000 representing more than…

Matches: 9 hits

  • book appeared.   You can now see examples of letters to Darwin from nearly 250 different people, and
  • Lyell , and Joseph Hooker , the two men who arranged for Darwins and Wallaces ideas to be made
  • Asa Gray who was an important sounding board for Darwins emerging ideas, and Thomas Huxley
  • scrap from 1857 comparing his views on species to DarwinsOthers, like Hugh Falconer , …
  • the less well-known scientific collaborators who became Darwin's correspondents, Mary Treat
  • was co-opted as an observer in WalesLucy Wedgwood , Darwins neice, was one of those who
  • of water thrown over me on rising William Darwin Fox , Charless cousin and another
  • W. T. Thiselton-Dyer George Cupples H. C. Watson J. J. Weir H. W. Bates
  • Reade S. H. Vines George Waterhouse Edward Blyth J. V. Carus William