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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: 12 hits
- … made a small omission ’. Stephen’s reply on 12 January was flattering, reassuring, and …
- … account and published it in Nature , and George Romanes wrote such a savage review of …
- … ‘Good Lord how he will hate you’, Darwin warned Romanes on 28 January . In the end, not only the …
- … that every fool knows what intelligent means’. Romanes outlined the difficulty. Intelligence …
- … from those which we agree to call non-intelligent’, Romanes pointed out, and since it was impossible …
- … that henceforth they always chose that way. Above all, Romanes pointed out, Darwin should avoid …
- … worms did learn from experience, Darwin was wary, telling Romanes on 9 March , ‘I intend to have …
- … After finishing the draft of his book, Darwin informed Romanes on 16 April : ‘I tore up & …
- … books being ‘a game of chance’ ( letter to R. F. Cooke, 12 April 1881 ). On 18 May he described …
- … Darwin had difficulty in obtaining mature plants. On 12 April, he reported to Müller , ‘I have …
- … to make me happy & contented,’ he told Wallace on 12 July , ‘but life has become very …
- … else’s judgment on the subject ( letter to A. R. Wallace, 12 July 1881 ). However, some requests …
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: 1 hits
- … amongst people in general’ ( letter from T. L. Brunton, 12 February 1882 ). Darwin declined the …
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: 11 hits
- … (letters from George Cupples, 21 February 1874 and 12 March 1874 ); the material was …
- … the Sandwich Islands (Hawaii; letters from T. N. Staley, 12 February 1874 and 20 February 1874 …
- … was published in November 1874 ( letter from R. F. Cooke, 12 November 1874 ). Though containing …
- … print runs would be very good ( letter from R. F. Cooke, 12 November 1874 ). Darwin's …
- … Review & in the same type’ ( letter from John Murray, 12 August 1874 ). George’s letter …
- … he finally wrote a polite, very formal letter to Mivart on 12 January 1875 , refusing to hold any …
- … & snugness’ ( letter from Emma Darwin to J. B. Innes, 12 October [1874] ). More …
- … vicar of Deptford ( letter from Emma Darwin to J. B. Innes, 12 October [1874] ), but to her …
- … mechanism that Darwin agreed with ( letter to F. J. Cohn, 12 October 1874 ). Darwin’s American …
- … bank with enormous tips to his ears ( letter from Asa Gray, 12 May 1874 ). The Manchester …
- … Darwin’s last years. The young physiologist George John Romanes wrote a long letter to Herbert …
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…
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: 17 hits
- … blundering’, he cheerfully observed to Carus. ( Letter to J. V. Carus, 24 April 1876. ) …
- … of blackballing so distinguished a zoologist ( letter to J. D. Hooker, 29 January 1876 ). Both …
- … Sanderson was keen for the society’s secretary, George Romanes, to write articles for the …
- … as hopeless as stemming a torrent with a reed’, he told Romanes on 4 June , but added, ‘Frank … …
- … silly to deserve an answer’ ( letter from S. B. Herrick, 12 February 1876 ). Others questioned …
- … Pangenesis v. perigenesis The young zoologist George Romanes was also carrying out …
- … date of 1875), Darwin must have been gratified by Romanes’s response to the heavily revised chapter …
- … results in this year’s experiments’ ( letter from G. J. Romanes, [ c . 19 March 1876] ). A less …
- … Encyclopaedia Britannica the previous year ( letter to G. H. Darwin, [after 4 September 1876] ). …
- … by the mutual pressure of very young buds’ ( letter to J. D. Hooker, 21 June [1876] ). Darwin …
- … the ‘awful job’ of informing the author ( letter to G. G. Stokes, 21 April [1876] ). Darwin could …
- … paper was ‘not worthy of being read ever’ ( letter from J. D. Hooker, 28 January 1876 ). Darwin …
- … ‘all I can say is do not commit suicide’ ( letter to G. H. Darwin, [4 June 1876] ). By midsummer, …
- … a set of sons I have, all doing wonders.’ ( Letter to G. H. Darwin, 13 July [1876]. ) A …
- … for one so poor at figures as I am’, Gray conceded on 12 November , although he could reassure …
- … Hildebrand, 6 December 1876 , and letter from F. J. Cohn, 31 December 1876 ). To Darwin’s …
- … Darwin’s oldest son William (see Correspondence vol. 12 and the Supplement to vol. 24). By the …
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: 8 hits
- … in zoology. New studies of animal instincts by George John Romanes drew upon Darwin’s early …
- … leading journalist was sought. Leslie Stephen’s reply on 12 January [1881] echoed that of Huxley …
- … Darwin try experiments with bursts of light similar to those Romanes had performed on hydromedusa: …
- … appears to be the case.’ In his reply of 6 February , Romanes clarified: ‘By ‘Love’ I intend to …
- … I am perhaps inclined to place in too exalted a position.’ Romanes was soon married to Ethel Duncan. …
- … Darwin encouraged the experiment, but conceded, ‘M rs . Romanes is quite right not to allow the …
- … with diverse backgrounds and interests. In February, a 12-year-old boy asked politely, ‘What causes …
- … a woman as ever walked this earth,’ Darwin wrote to Romanes on 14 November [1880] . Darwin was …
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: 20 hits
- … In January, Darwin corresponded with George John Romanes about new varieties of sugar cane produced …
- … ). Darwin had a long-running interest in such cases, and Romanes had made numerous attempts to …
- … & I am glad to shirk any extra labour’ ( letter to G. J. Romanes, 6 January 1882 ). The …
- … seeing the flowers & experimentising on them’ ( letter to J. E. Todd, 10 April 1882 ). While …
- … their burrows ( Correspondence vol. 29, letter from J. F. Simpson, 8 November 1881 ). He …
- … the summit, whence it rolls down the sides’ ( letter from J. F. Simpson, 7 January 1882 ). The …
- … on it, which would have pleased me greatly’ ( letter from J. H. Gilbert, 9 January 1882, and …
- … to have rather the best of the fight’ ( letter from G. F. Crawte, 11 March 1882 ). The battle …
- … 20 March [1882] ; see also letter from T. L Brunton, 12 February 1882 , and letter to T. L. …
- … depressed about himself’ (letter from H. E. Litchfield to G. H. Darwin, 17 March 1882 (DAR 245: 319) …
- … plagued with dull aching in the chest’ (Emma Darwin to G. H. Darwin, [ c . 28 March 1882] (DAR 210 …
- … pain entirely yesterday’ (letter from Emma Darwin to G. H. Darwin, 6 April 1882 (DAR 210.3: 46)). …
- … desires, grant us this our modest request!’ ( letter from J. L. Ambrose, 3 April 1882 ). Darwin …
- … she has cried a little’ (letter from H. E. Litchfield to G. H. Darwin, [19 April 1882] (DAR 245: 320 …
- … were never very violent’ ( letter from Emma Darwin to J. D. Hooker, [20 April 1882] ). In …
- … & it is a consolation to me to think that the last 10 or 12 years were the happiest (owing to …
- … of your objections to my views, when we meet’ ( letter to J. S. Henslow, 29 January [1860] ). …
- … ’ ( Correspondence vol. 17, letter from F. M. Malven, 12 February [1869] ). An extract from …
- … the same class with his’ ( letter to F. M. Malven, [after 12 February 1869] ). Accompanying this …
- … point from its graduated nature: some time ago my son, Mr G. Darwin, advocated that lunacy should at …
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: 12 hits
- … Seventy years old Darwin’s seventieth birthday on 12 February was a cause for international …
- … and good as could be’ ( letter from Karl Beger, [ c. 12 February 1879] ). The masters of …
- … ). The botanist and schoolteacher Hermann Müller wrote on 12 February to wish Darwin a ‘long and …
- … tastefully and well, and with little fatigue’ ( letter to G. H. Darwin, 12 July 1879 , and …
- … ever about life of D r . D’ ( letter to Francis Darwin, 12 July [1879] ). It was little …
- … to W. T. Thiselton-Dyer, 5 June 1879 , and letter to G. H. Darwin, 12 July 1879 ). Darwin’s …
- … inn ‘ very comfortable’, but told Leonard Darwin on 12 August that there were ‘too many human …
- … not to have come up when the Darwins lunched with him on 12 August (Darwin’s ‘Journal’). Nor did …
- … the world. At the end of the year he was awarded a prize of 12,000 francs by the Turin Academy of …
- … which greatly pleased Darwin ( letter from Grant Allen, 12 February 1879 ). One of Allen’s targets …
- … engagement being made public ( letter from T. H. Farrer, 12 October 1879 ). Darwin’s response not …
- … accurate in its treatment’ ( letter from Francis Galton, 12 November 1879 ). The comment that …
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: 5 hits
- … full paper. A disgruntled Darwin reported to George John Romanes on 23 May , ‘the Council have …
- … thanked the director, Adriaan Anthoni van Bemmelen, on 12 February 1877 : ‘I suppose that every …
- … the beginning of his 70th year. Darwin was in fact 68 on 12 February 1877. Distinguished …
- … the aim of testing Darwin’s theory of pangenesis, George Romanes sent Darwin lengthy notes made some …
- … without lying down to rest’, he explained ( letter to J. W. Clark, 12 November 1877 ). …
Darwin in letters, 1875: Pulling strings
Summary
‘I am getting sick of insectivorous plants’, Darwin confessed in January 1875. He had worked on the subject intermittently since 1859, and had been steadily engaged on a book manuscript for nine months; January also saw the conclusion of a bitter dispute…
Matches: 12 hits
- … than insectivorous plants. As he confessed to Hooker on 12 December , ‘I have not felt so angry …
- … from his family, he sent a curt note to Mivart on 12 January , breaking off all future …
- … … Poor Murray shuddered again & again’ ( letter from J. D. Hooker, 16 January 1875 ). Darwin …
- … of a bill that was presented to the House of Commons on 12 May, one week after a rival bill based on …
- … further research on the effects of grafting by George John Romanes. A scientific friendship had …
- … hard at work on the rudimentary nervous system of medusae, Romanes was eager to carry out …
- … of being any further driven home by experimental work.’ Romanes bisected root vegetables and …
- … red half has become wholly white’ ( letter from G. J. Romanes, [before 4 November 1874] ). …
- … of a review of William Dwight Whitney’s work on language (G. H. Darwin 1874c). George had taken the …
- … The author, Fritz Schultze, contacted Darwin himself on 12 June , describing the aims of his book …
- … he was blackballed on 2 December, the same meeting at which Romanes and Francis Darwin were made …
- … scientific Socy. has done in my time,’ he told Hooker on 12 December . ‘I wish that I knew what …
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
- … Letter 9005b - Darwin to Treat, M., [12 August 1873] Darwin thanks Treat for sending over …
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: 10 hits
- … (1) Agassiz, Alexander (12) Agassiz, Louis …
- … (1) Berkeley, M. J. (12) Berlin (1) …
- … (1) Gaudry, Albert (12) Geach, F. F. …
- … (3) Geikie, Archibald (12) Geikie, James …
- … (1) Grove, W. R. (12) Groves, Henry …
- … (3) Hooker, F. H. (12) Hooker, Hyacinth …
- … (2) Judd, J. W. (12) Jukes, J. B. (9 …
- … (2) Koch, Eduard (12) Koch, Heinrich …
- … (3) Layton, Charles (12) Le Couteur, John …
- … (1) Mackintosh, Daniel (12) Maclaren, Charles …
