Darwin Correspondence Project

The American doctor and author of works on physiognomy Joseph Simms wrote to Darwin on 14 September 1874, while he was staying in London. He enclosed a copy of his book Nature’s revelations of character (Simms 1873). He hoped ‘it may prove sufficiently interesting’ that Darwin could ‘say a word in its favour for print’. [...]

To celebrate Valentine’s Day we were very pleased to be asked to join in BBC Radio 3′s The Verb, to talk about how Darwin signed off his letters (no kisses).  You can hear two of Darwin’s letters to his wife, Emma, on the programme.   After giving her an update on his health, he ends the [...]

The letters Darwin wrote and received in 1873 – all 558 of them – are now available in volume 21 of The Correspondence of Charles Darwin.   We are delighted to announce that our latest volume was published on 23 January 2014. So what was Darwin doing in 1873?   ‘I do not think any [...]

Thanks to everyone who offered ideas for our mystery correspondent, who sent a letter to Charles Darwin from 81 Upper Leeson Street, Dublin on 9 March 1875! We’re thrilled to say that we now have a definite result.   Glenn Branch suggested Isabella Harriet Wolfe (1813-95), who was living in at 19 Upper Leeson Street [...]

We’re trying to find this correspondent – are you able to help?   The letter was written to Charles Darwin on 9 March 1875 from 81 Upper Leeson Street, Dublin. The correspondent says that they have just finished reading Descent. They write about their personal experience of pain, living in the country, collecting insects, a [...]