From Charles Lyell 11 March 1863
Summary
Defends position he takes on species [in Antiquity of man]. CD overestimates CL’s capacity to influence public. Will not dogmatise on descent of man; prepared to accept it, but it "takes away much of the charm from my speculations on the past". Cannot go to Huxley’s length with regard to natural selection. Responds to CD’s comments on Antiquity of man.
Author: | Charles Lyell, 1st baronet |
Addressee: | Charles Robert Darwin |
Date: | 11 Mar 1863 |
Classmark: | K. M. Lyell ed. 1881, 2: 362–4 |
Letter no: | DCP-LETT-4035 |
From A. R. Wallace 2 July 1866
Summary
Lengthy analysis of sources of misunderstanding of natural selection. Advocacy of Spencer’s term "survival of the fittest" instead of "Natural Selection". ARW urges CD to stress frequency of variations.
Author: | Alfred Russel Wallace |
Addressee: | Charles Robert Darwin |
Date: | 2 July 1866 |
Classmark: | DAR 106: B33–8 |
Letter no: | DCP-LETT-5140 |
To [John Hawkshaw?] 1 January [1860]
Summary
Returning Thomas George Bonney’s certificate, which it was a pleasure to sign.
Delighted that JH is interested in his book [Origin?]
Author: | Charles Robert Darwin |
Addressee: | John Hawkshaw |
Date: | 1 Jan [1860] |
Classmark: | Dominic Winter Auctioneers (dealers) (10 April 2019, lot 139), Geological Society of London (Membership certificates, 1860, p. 116) |
Letter no: | DCP-LETT-2633F |
To Karl von Scherzer 24 January [1876]
Summary
Thanks for KHvS’s book [La province de Smyrne (1873)].
Discusses possible meeting.
Author: | Charles Robert Darwin |
Addressee: | Karl von Scherzer |
Date: | 24 Jan [1876] |
Classmark: | John Hay Library, Brown University (Albert E. Lownes Manuscript Collection, Ms. 84.2 (Box 3, Folder 38)) |
Letter no: | DCP-LETT-10364 |
To J. D. Hooker 15 [January 1866]
Summary
In despair: has lost his copy of Verlot’s memoir on variations of flowers [Sur la production et la fixation des variétés (1866)]. Has JDH borrowed it?
Author: | Charles Robert Darwin |
Addressee: | Joseph Dalton Hooker |
Date: | 15 [Jan 1866] |
Classmark: | DAR 115: 280 |
Letter no: | DCP-LETT-4976 |
From George Robert Waterhouse 14 April 1857
Summary
Has found no reference to construction of bees’ cells in works referred to by CD. Describes cell of Osmia atricapilla. Hive-bees’ cell was described at Entomological Society.
Author: | George Robert Waterhouse |
Addressee: | Charles Robert Darwin |
Date: | 14 Apr 1857 |
Classmark: | DAR 181: 21 |
Letter no: | DCP-LETT-2078 |
To J. D. Hooker 21 [January 1866]
Summary
Has found Verlot.
His sister [Emily Catherine Langton] is dying [d. 2 Feb 1866].
His stomach still very bad. Writes one or two hours and reads a little.
JDH is a wretch to remind CD of his coal-plant prophecy.
Glad JDH will give Nottingham lecture.
Author: | Charles Robert Darwin |
Addressee: | Joseph Dalton Hooker |
Date: | 21 [Jan 1866] |
Classmark: | DAR 115: 281 |
Letter no: | DCP-LETT-4981 |
To Gardeners’ Chronicle 3 January [1877]
Summary
Suggests that the scarcity of holly berries is owing to the scarcity of bees during the spring, rather than to frost. He does not know what caused the scarcity of bees.
Author: | Charles Robert Darwin |
Addressee: | Gardeners’ Chronicle |
Date: | 3 Jan [1877] |
Classmark: | Gardeners’ Chronicle, 6 January 1877, p. 19 |
Letter no: | DCP-LETT-10769 |
From Francois Jules Pictet de la Rive 19 February 1860
Summary
Believes Origin makes science "young, clear, elevated" but does not have the facts to prove that cumulated slight modifications could ever produce different families from common ancestors. [See 2709.]
Author: | François Jules Pictet de la Rive |
Addressee: | Charles Robert Darwin |
Date: | 19 Feb 1860 |
Classmark: | The University of Edinburgh Centre for Research Collections (Lyell collection Coll-203/A3/5: 110–11) |
Letter no: | DCP-LETT-2704A |
To Charles Lyell 11 August [1860]
Summary
Comments on his fear that "so many heavy guns fired by great men" might influence the public and scientists.
Sends CL the Owen-inspired Wilberforce review [Q. Rev. 108 (1860): 225–64].
Mentions defence of Origin by Asa Gray at American Academy of Arts and Sciences.
Agassiz and Theophilus Parsons have poor criticisms ["Prof. Agassiz on the origin of species", Am. J. Sci. 2d ser. 30 (1860): 142–54].
Lists other negative reviews by Rudolph Wagner ["An essay on classification by Louis Agassiz", Göttingische Gelehrte Anz. (1860) pt 2: 761–800], Charles Daubeny ["Remarks on the final causes of the sexuality of plants, with particular reference to Mr Darwin’s work On the origin of species by natural selection", Rep. BAAS 30 (1860) pt 2: 109–10], and two anonymous ones (one favourable).
Huxley says K. E. von Baer "goes a long way with us".
Comments on "pipes" in chalk as evidence of geological processes still at work.
Is writing on origin of dog breeds [Variation 1: 15–43].
Author: | Charles Robert Darwin |
Addressee: | Charles Lyell, 1st baronet |
Date: | 11 Aug [1860] |
Classmark: | American Philosophical Society (Mss.B.D25.223) |
Letter no: | DCP-LETT-2895 |
Matches: 1 hit
- … B. Wigham. Report of the 9th meeting of the British Association for the Advancement of Science held at Birmingham , Transactions of the sections, pp. 65–6. Origin : On the origin of species by means of natural selection, or the preservation of favoured races in the struggle for life. By Charles Darwin. London: John Murray. 1859. …
To Charles Lyell 18 [and 19 February 1860]
Summary
Encloses reviews by Asa Gray and Bronn. Comments on Bronn review. Mentions review by Wollaston.
Comments on paper by W. H. Harvey in Gardeners’ Chronicle [(1860): 145–6]. Discusses Harvey’s belief in the permanence of monsters.
Discusses CL’s objection that still-living primitive forms failed to develop.
The survival of Lepidosiren and other primitive types of fish and mammals.
Author: | Charles Robert Darwin |
Addressee: | Charles Lyell, 1st baronet |
Date: | 18 and 19 Feb 1860 |
Classmark: | American Philosophical Society (Mss.B.D25.199) |
Letter no: | DCP-LETT-2703 |
To Charles Lyell 23 February [1860]
Summary
Gradation in the eye.
Hooker intends to reply [to W. H. Harvey’s article in Gard. Chron. (1860): 145–6].
Discusses Aspicarpa with respect to correlation.
Comments on monstrous animals.
Discusses objections of Bronn and Asa Gray to natural selection. Cites parallel between natural selection and Newton’s concept of gravitation.
Mentions German experiments on spontaneous generation.
Author: | Charles Robert Darwin |
Addressee: | Charles Lyell, 1st baronet |
Date: | 23 Feb [1860] |
Classmark: | American Philosophical Society (Mss.B.D25.200) |
Letter no: | DCP-LETT-2707 |
From W. W. Reade 18 February 1872
Summary
Compares Origin to Newton’s Principia and Adam Smith’s Wealth of nations.
His view of CD’s response to Mivart.
On mammae;
gradualism of evolution;
suicide among savages.
Author: | William Winwood Reade |
Addressee: | Charles Robert Darwin |
Date: | 18 Feb 1872 |
Classmark: | DAR 88: 74–5 |
Letter no: | DCP-LETT-8218 |
From Camille Dareste 8 February 1863
Summary
Has read Origin with satisfaction. He had long ago come to consider the fixity of species as contrary to the facts, but could see no suitable alternative. The Origin has brought the light to guide him.
Sends CD a copy of his latest work ["Mémoire sur la production artificielle des monstruosités", Ann. Sci. Nat. (Zool.) 4th ser. 18 (1862): 243–76]. Hopes to explain a great number of anomalies by his experimental work on artificially produced monstrosities.
Author: | Gabriel-Madeleine-Camille (Camille) Dareste |
Addressee: | Charles Robert Darwin |
Date: | 8 Feb 1863 |
Classmark: | DAR 162: 42 |
Letter no: | DCP-LETT-3974 |
From J. V. Carus 11 September 1867
Summary
JVC is having difficulty in translating the names of dogs [in Variation]. Also asks CD for help with names of pigeons.
Author: | Julius Victor Carus |
Addressee: | Charles Robert Darwin |
Date: | 11 Sept 1867 |
Classmark: | DAR 161: 60 |
Letter no: | DCP-LETT-5625 |
From George Robert Waterhouse 26 April 1844
Summary
Defines the term "typical species" and discusses its use among zoologists. Cites example of type of Carnivora. Comments on general law of development of parts in animals. Cites teeth of Carnivora.
Author: | George Robert Waterhouse |
Addressee: | Charles Robert Darwin |
Date: | 26 Apr 1844 |
Classmark: | DAR 181: 14 |
Letter no: | DCP-LETT-748 |
Matches: 1 hit
From Robert Swinhoe 12 November 1862
Summary
Sends CD a specimen of the domestic pigeon of China.
Discusses a race of ducks he believes are hybrids between the Muscovy and Chinese domestic duck.
Author: | Robert Swinhoe |
Addressee: | Charles Robert Darwin |
Date: | 12 Nov 1862 |
Classmark: | DAR 177: 326 |
Letter no: | DCP-LETT-3803 |
Matches: 1 hit
- … B. 1987. Robert Swinhoe (1836–1877), FRS, FZS, FRGS: a Victorian naturalist in Treaty Port China. Geographical Journal 153: 37–47. Origin : On the origin of species by means of natural selection, or the preservation of favoured races in the struggle for life. By Charles Darwin. London: John Murray. 1859. …
To Charles Hardy 27 July [1860]
Summary
Thanks CH for correction of blunder in Origin about hive-bees sucking clover: "a greater kindness than a new fact".
Author: | Charles Robert Darwin |
Addressee: | Charles Hardy |
Date: | 27 July [1860] |
Classmark: | Smithsonian Libraries and Archives (Dibner Library of the History of Science and Technology MSS 405 A. Gift of the Burndy Library) |
Letter no: | DCP-LETT-2879 |
Matches: 1 hit
- … B. 1849. The American bee keeper’s manual; being a practical treatise on the history and domestic economy of the honey bee. London. [Vols. 7,8] Origin : On the origin of species by means of natural selection, or the preservation of favoured races in the struggle for life. By Charles Darwin. London: John Murray. 1859. …
From J. J. Aubertin 1 March 1871
Summary
Was reminded of CD by his new book [Descent] in a shop;
reports having come on train as far as Bromley in previous summer, but found no means of travelling the seven miles to Down. Might try again.
Author: | John James Aubertin |
Addressee: | Charles Robert Darwin |
Date: | 1 Mar 1871 |
Classmark: | DAR 159: 125 |
Letter no: | DCP-LETT-7526 |
Matches: 1 hit
- … B. Cohen. 3 vols. New York: Columbia University Press. 1998. Correspondence : The correspondence of Charles Darwin. Edited by Frederick Burkhardt et al. 29 vols to date. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. 1985–. Origin : On the origin of species by means of natural selection, or the preservation of favoured races in the struggle for life. By Charles Darwin. London: John Murray. 1859. …
To J. D. Hooker 22 [May 1860]
Summary
Floral anatomy.
Wallace’s capital response on reading Origin.
E. W. Binney has published on coal-plants living in marine waters ["On the origin of coal", Mem. Lit. & Philos. Soc. Manchester 2d ser. 8 (1848): 148–94], an old CD idea.
Waste of pollen in horse chestnut will make a good case against perfection.
Author: | Charles Robert Darwin |
Addressee: | Joseph Dalton Hooker |
Date: | 22 [May 1860] |
Classmark: | DAR 115: 57 |
Letter no: | DCP-LETT-2813 |
Matches: 1 hit
- … B. Baillière. Origin 3d ed. : On the origin of species by means of natural selection, or the preservation of favoured races in the struggle for life. 3d edition, with additions and corrections. By Charles Darwin. London: John Murray. 1861. Origin : On the origin of species by means of natural selection, or the preservation of favoured races in the struggle for life. By Charles Darwin. London: John Murray. 1859. …
letter | (25) |
Darwin, C. R. | (13) |
Waterhouse, G. R. | (2) |
Aubertin, J. J. | (1) |
Carus, J. V. | (1) |
Dareste, Camille | (1) |
Darwin, C. R. | (12) |
Hooker, J. D. | (4) |
Lyell, Charles | (3) |
Gray, Asa | (2) |
Gardeners’ Chronicle | (1) |
Darwin, C. R. | (25) |
Hooker, J. D. | (4) |
Lyell, Charles | (4) |
Gray, Asa | (2) |
Waterhouse, G. R. | (2) |