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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: 20 hits

  • …   On 6 March 1868, Darwin wrote to the entomologist and accountant John Jenner Weir, ‘If any
  • The quantity of his correspondence increased dramatically in 1868; the increase was due largely to
  • and his immediate circle of friends and relations. In July 1868 Darwin was still anticipating that
  • and not too much’ ( letter to Albert Günther, 15 May [1868] ). My book is horribly
  • as early as 1865, the two-volume work appeared in January 1868. A final delay caused by the indexing
  • look rather blank’ ( letter from W. S. Dallas, 8 January 1868 ). Darwin sympathised, replying on
  • to read a few pages feel fairly nauseated’ ( letter to J. D. Hooker, 3 February [1868] ). But such
  • a scamp & I begin to think a veritable ass’ ( letter to J. D. Hooker, 1 September [1868] ). …
  • of thanks to the naturalist and customs offcial John Jenner Weir for a paper on apterous Lepidoptera
  • collection of materials on sexual selection, and he asked Weir tocall to mind any facts bearing on
  • Row who was a great authority on theLondon fancy’. Weir received aNewgate cutand much
  • the cause of science.’ Darwin began to make an index of Weirs correspondence in April, and by the
  • added, ‘for it is clear that I have none’ ( letter to J. J. Weir, 30 May [1868] ). Sexual
  • role of colour, sound, and smell in attracting females. J. J. Weir reported on 14 April 1868
  • of Hookers distributed it in Japan ( letter from J. D. Hooker, 5 September 1868 ); Edward Wilson, …
  • the previous year by James Philip Mansel Weale ( letter to J. D. Hooker, [20 May 1868] ). …
  • through adaptation to local conditions ( letter from J. D. Hooker, [23 December 1868] ). Barbers
  • adeep-seated enmity to Revealed Religion’ ( letter to J. D. Hooker, 1 September [1868], n. 11 ). …
  • induced him to stay away ( letter from S. J. OH. Horsman, 2 June [1868] ). But if Horsman
  • to have walked with village girls at night ( letter to J. B. Innes, 10 December [1868] ). ‘The

Darwin’s queries on expression

Summary

When Darwin resumed systematic research on emotions around 1866, he began to collect observations more widely and composed a list of queries on human expression. A number of handwritten copies were sent out in 1867 (see, for example, letter to Fritz Muller…

Matches: 14 hits

  • … for ease of distribution sometime in late 1867 or early 1868. Darwin went over his questions, …
  • … in Ceylon, wrote the botanist George Thwaites on 22 July 1868 , “all endeavour to drill their …
  • … Scottish botanist John Scott wrote from Calcutta, 4 May 1868 : “Shame is … expressed by an …
  • … Bulmer, J 13 Aug 1868 [Gipps Land, nr. Flemington? …
  • … Bunnett, Templeton 13 Aug 1868 Echuca, Australia …
  • … Darwin, W.E. [after 29 March 1868] Chester Place, …
  • … Darwin, W.E. [7? April 1868] Southampton, England …
  • … Darwin, W.E. [22? April 1868] Southampton, England …
  • … Forbes, David 26 March 1868 Boulton, England (about …
  • … Geach, F.F. April 1868 Johore, Malaysia …
  • … Glenie, S.O. 22 July 1868 Peradeniya, Ceylon …
  • … Glenie, S.O. [July 1868] Trincomalee, Ceylon …
  • … Hawkshaw, Cicely Mary (to ED) 9 Feb 1868 Liphook, …
  • … Kaffirs Weale, J.P.M. 23 Oct 1868

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: 9 hits

  • … Letter 5817 - Darwin to Huxley, T. H., [30 January 1868] Darwin asks Thomas Huxley to …
  • … 6453 - Langton, E. to Wedgwood, S. E., [9 November 1868] Darwin’s nephew, Edmund, …
  • … - Langton, E. & C. to Wedgwood S. E., [after 9 November 1868] Darwin’s nephews, Edmund …
  • … Letter 6139  - Doubleday, H. to Darwin, [22 April 1868] Doubleday responds to Darwin’s …
  • … at the University of Bonn. Letter 6046  - Weir, J. J. to Darwin, [24 March 1868] …
  • … garden ”. Letter 6083  - Casparay, J. X. R. to Darwin, [2 April 1868] …
  • … Letter 6139  - Doubleday, H. to Darwin, [22 April 1868] Naturalist Henry Doubleday …
  • … Expression . Letter 6046  - Weir, J. J. to Darwin, [24 March 1868] …
  • … Letter 6066  - Weir, H. W. to Darwin, [28 March 1868] Harrison Weir passes on …

Natural Science and Femininity

Summary

Discussion Questions|Letters A conflation of masculine intellect and feminine thoughts, habits and feelings, male naturalists like Darwin inhabited an uncertain gendered identity. Working from the private domestic comfort of their homes and exercising…

Matches: 4 hits

  • … Letter 6044 - Darwin to Darwin, G. H., [24 March 1868] Darwin relays his discussion with …
  • … help shape his sons’ fortunes. Letter 6046 - Weir, J. J. to Darwin, [24 March 1868] …
  • … Letter 6139 - Doubleday, H. to Darwin, [22 April 1868] Doubleday details his experiments …
  • … Letter 6453 - Langton, E. to Wedgwood, S. E., [9 November 1868] Darwin’s nephew, Edmund, …

Darwin in letters,1870: Human evolution

Summary

The year 1870 is aptly summarised by the brief entry Darwin made in his journal: ‘The whole of the year at work on the Descent of Man & Selection in relation to Sex’.  Descent was the culmination of over three decades of observations and reflections on…

Matches: 4 hits

  • … Darwin reckoned that he had started writing on 4 February 1868, only five days after the publication …
  • … the folded margin. Darwin, who had posed for the sculptor in 1868, an experience he described as …
  • … for the drawing ( Correspondence  vol. 16, letter to J. D. Hooker, 26 November [1868] ; this …
  • … and foetus during pregnancy. As a case in point, John Jenner Weir described the offspring of a mare …

Have you read the one about....

Summary

... the atheistical cats, or the old fogies in Cambridge? We've suggested a few - some funny, some serious - but all letters you can read here.

Matches: 1 hits

  • … ... the atheistical cats, or the old fogies in Cambridge? We've suggested a few - some funny, some …

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: 5 hits

  • …  vol. 16, letter to W. D. Fox, 12 December [1868] ). He may have resented the interruption to his …
  • … while Roland Trimen in South Africa and John Jenner Weir in London sent more information on male and …
  • … on the German translation of  Variation  (Carus trans. 1868). The French translation proved …
  • … the French edition of  Variation  (Moulinié trans. 1868), and CD now extended his permission for …
  • … Scientific Opinion , launched towards the end of 1868, was one of several periodicals begun in …

Sexual selection

Summary

Although natural selection could explain the differences between species, Darwin realised that (other than in the reproductive organs themselves) it could not explain the often marked differences between the males and females of the same species.  So what…

Matches: 1 hits

  • … sees a handsome man,’ Darwin  wrote to Wallace in March 1868 , ‘& without observing whether …

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: 3 hits

  • … derived from Asa Gray’s printed queries, was published in 1868 in the  Annual Report of the Board …
  • … the colours were protective and suggested that John Jenner Weir might conduct experiments in his …
  • … work itself.’  Variation  was published on 30 January 1868. …