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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: 20 hits

  • There are summaries of all Darwin's letters from the year 1879 on this website.  The full texts
  • 27 of the print edition of The correspondence of Charles Darwin , published by Cambridge
  • to publish a biographical account of his grandfather Erasmus Darwin to accompany a translation of an
  • the sensitivity of the tips. Despite this breakthrough, when Darwin first mentioned the book to his
  • 1879 ). He was also unsatisfied with his account of Erasmus Darwin, declaring, ‘My little biography
  • a holiday in the Lake District in August did little to raise Darwins spirits. ‘I wish that my
  • W. T. Thiselton-Dyer, [after 26] July [1879] ). From July, Darwin had an additional worry: the
  • that his grandfather had felt the same way. In 1792, Erasmus Darwin had written: ‘The worst thing I
  • contained a warmer note and the promise of future happiness: Darwin learned he was to be visited by
  • Hacon, 31 December 1879 ). Seventy years old Darwins seventieth birthday on 12
  • the veteran of Modern Zoology’, but it was in Germany that Darwin was most fêted. A German
  • … ). The masters of Greiz College in Thuringia venerated Darwin asthe deep thinker’, while
  • accepted in Germany. ‘On this festive day’, Haeckel told Darwin, ‘you can look back, with justified
  • Hermann Müller wrote on 12 February to wish Darwin along and serene evening of life’. This
  • on the theory of development in connection with Charles Darwin and Ernst Haeckel. Kosmos was, as
  • Farrers objection to the engagement between his daughter Ida and Horace Darwin. This was all the
  • occasions. Horace had first approached Farrer to request Idas hand in marriage in late June, only
  • and he insisted that all contact between Horace and Ida must cease. Emma Darwin persuaded her
  • in his wish that the engagement between his daughter Ida and Darwins son Horace be kept secret and
  • concerning the amount of money to be settled on Horace and Ida came to an amicable end, those

1879 Letters now online

Summary

In 1879, Darwin continued his research on movement in plants and researched, wrote, and published a short biography of his grandfather Erasmus Darwin as an introduction to a translation of an essay by Ernst Krause on Erasmus’s scientific work. Darwin’s son…

Matches: 10 hits

  • In 1879, Darwin continued his research on movement in plants and researched, wrote, and published a
  • most of August on holiday in the Lake District. In October, Darwins youngest son, Horace, became
  • December [1879] ) In early 1879, as a tribute on Darwins 70th birthday, the editor of
  • until the preface was longer than the translated article. Darwin contacted cousins, sent his sons to
  • little book, with low but respectable sales, and Darwin was relieved to hear that his friends
  • sense & not to professional advisors .  ( Letter to the Darwin children, 21 February 1879 ) …
  • receiving certain irritations  ( Letter t o Francis Darwin, 2 July [1879] ) Darwin
  • 23 October 1879 ) During the year Darwin continued his support for other workers in
  • … ( Letter to THFarrer, 13 October 1879 ) Darwin wrote this to his son Horaces
  • given up his opposition to the match between his daughter, Ida, and Horace. The two families had

Volume 28 (1880) now published

Summary

1880 opened and closed with an irksome controversy with Samuel Butler, prompted by the publication of Erasmus Darwin the previous year. Darwin became fully devoted to earthworms in the spring of the year, just after finishing the manuscript of Movement in…

Matches: 16 hits

  • with Samuel Butler, prompted by the publication of Erasmus Darwin the previous year. Darwin
  • most ambitious botanical book. Many letters flowed between Darwin and his children, as he took
  • Financial support for science was a recurring issue, as Darwin tried to secure a Civil List pension
  • Volume 28 of the Correspondence of Charles Darwin is now available. Read more
  • the Lewisham and Blackheath Scientific Society after meeting Darwin at Down in July 1880. Forty
  • the Yorkshire NaturalistsUnion came to Down to present Darwin with a memorial address. Among less
  • Butler was outraged that Ernst Krause, in his book Erasmus Darwin , alluded negatively to Butler
  • in a letter to the Athenaeum , and in his next book. Darwin, mortified, drafted letters
  • by science, I must now lose some for science Darwin was pessimistic about the likely
  • work on the proof-sheets of Movement in plants , Darwin began writing his final book, The
  • decades in the making, drawing on research interests that Darwin returned to time and again. …
  • getting some provision for Wallace. In October, Darwin again took up the project, …
  • the help of Arabella Burton Buckley and Thomas Henry Huxley, Darwin drew up and circulated a
  • Gladstone, granted their request, writing personally to Darwin. The draft memorial and other details
  • you may have pleased him. Early in the year, Darwins children clubbed together to buy
  • Younger members of the family thrived. On 3 January, Darwins son Horace married Ida Farrer, and in

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: 20 hits

  • heart & soul care for worms & nothing else in this world,’ Darwin wrote to his old
  • to adapt to varying conditions. The implications of Darwins work for the boundary between animals
  • studies of animal instincts by George John Romanes drew upon Darwins early observations of infants, …
  • of evolution and creation. Many letters flowed between Darwin and his children, as he took delight
  • Financial support for science was a recurring issue, as Darwin tried to secure a Civil List pension
  • with Samuel Butler, prompted by the publication of Erasmus Darwin the previous year. …
  • Charles Harrison Tindal, sent a cache of letters from two of Darwins grandfathers clerical friends
  • divines to see a pigs body opened is very amusing’, Darwin replied, ‘& that about my
  • registry offices, and produced a twenty-page history of the Darwin family reaching back to the
  • the world’ ( letter from J. L. Chester, 3 March 1880 ). Darwins sons George and Leonard also
  • and conciliate a few whose ancestors had not featured in Darwins Life . ‘In an endeavour to
  • think I must pay a round of visits.’ One cousin, Reginald Darwin, warmed to George: ‘he had been
  • an ordinary mortal who could laugh’ ( letter from W. E. Darwin to Charles and Emma Darwin, 22 July
  • whose essay on Erasmuss scientific work complemented Darwins biographical piece. Krauses essay
  • Kosmos in February 1879, an issue produced in honour of Darwins birthday. Krause enlarged and
  • superficial and inaccurate piece of work’, although Darwin advised him not toexpend much powder
  • in the last sentence. When Butler read Erasmus Darwin , he noted the reference to his work, and
  • the position I have taken as regards D r Erasmus Darwin in my book Evolution old & New, and
  • worms gizzard.’ While on honeymoon with his new wife, Ida, in the Alps, Horace spotted worms at
  • fellow of the Royal Society. He rejoiced to see Horace and Ida settled in their new home in

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: 27 hits

  • In 1882, Darwin reached his 74th year Earthworms had been published the previous
  • for scientific colleagues or their widows facing hardship. Darwin had suffered from poor health
  • of his scientific friends quickly organised a campaign for Darwin to have greater public recognition
  • Botanical observation and experiment had long been Darwins greatest scientific pleasure. The year
  • to Fritz Müller, 4 January 1882 ). These were topics that Darwin had been investigating for years, …
  • working at the effects of Carbonate of Ammonia on roots,’ Darwin wrote, ‘the chief result being that
  • for some hours in a weak solution of C. of Ammonia’. Darwins interest in root response and the
  • London on 6 and 16 March, respectively. In January, Darwin corresponded with George John
  • letter from Arthur de Souza Corrêa, 28 December 1881 ). Darwin had a long-running interest in such
  • experiments had been conducted to lend support to Darwins theory of pangenesis (see
  • He was eager to write up the results on Brazilian cane, with Darwin providing a detailed outline: ‘I
  • at the Linnean Society on 4 May, but not published. Darwin carried on with botanical work in
  • which are asymmetric, thus facilitating cross-fertilisation. Darwins aim, he said, was just to
  • 3 April 1882 ). Earthworms and evolution Darwins last book, Earthworms , had been
  • Appendix V). The conservative Quarterly Review , owned by Darwins publisher John Murray, carried
  • themselves’ ( Quarterly Review , January 1882, p. 179). Darwin commented at length on the review
  • is a young man & a worker in any branch of Biology,’ Darwin continued, ‘he will assuredly sooner
  • and professor of ecclesiastical history Henry Wace. Darwin was confident that the theory of
  • James Frederick Simpson, a musical composer, had provided Darwin with observations on worm behaviour
  • by the benefits of worms to soil composition. He asked Darwin about the nitrogen content in the
  • H. Gilbert, 12 January 1882 ). In Earthworms , p. 305, Darwin had remarked on the creatures’ …
  • in a draw, with both combatants the worse for wear. Darwins writing on human evolution
  • extracts from the diary of Bronson Alcott, who, like Darwin, had made detailed observations of his
  • letter from A. T. Rice, 4 February 1882 ). Rice looked to Darwin to provide themovementwith
  • for an article in his journal, North American Review . Darwin nearly always declined such offers, …
  • 26 December 1881 (see Correspondence vol. 29) to ask Darwin whether he agreed with the
  • 1882 ). Horace had settled in Cambridge with his wife, Ida, and continued to build up his

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: 21 hits

  • In May 1881, Darwin, one of the best-known celebrities in England if not the world, began
  • a very old man, who probably will not last much longer.’ Darwins biggest fear was not death, but
  • sweetest place on this earth’. From the start of the year, Darwin had his demise on his mind. He
  • provision for the dividing of his wealth after his death. Darwins gloominess was compounded by the
  • and new admirers got in touch, and, for all his fears, Darwin found several scientific topics to
  • Evolution old and new when revising his essay on Erasmus Darwins scientific work, and that Darwin
  • memory in November 1880 and in an abusive letter about Darwin in the St Jamess Gazette on 8
  • in a review of Unconscious memory in Kosmos and sent Darwin a separate letter for
  • Butler wished to boast publicly that his quarrel was with Darwin, agreed. Unsure how to address
  • gone mad on such a small matter’. The following day, Darwin himself wrote to Stephen, admitting that
  • a slap in the face as he would have cause to remember’. Darwin was enormously relieved. ‘Your note
  • wrote such a savage review of Unconscious memory that Darwin feared he had redirected Butlers
  • so much for anything in my life as for its success’, Darwin told Arabella Buckley on 4 January . …
  • that Wallace would receive £200 a yearhe wrote to Darwin, ‘I congratulate you on the success of
  • on 8 January (his 58th birthday) and immediately wrote to Darwin to thank him for hisconstant
  • he had done. Buckleys delight was evident when she told Darwin on 13 January : ‘I have always
  • of 1881. This book had been a major undertaking for both Darwin and his son Francis, who assisted in
  • … ( letter to H. E. Litchfield, 4 January 1881 ). Unlike Darwins other books, Movement in plants
  • those who had received presentation copies who complimented Darwin, made suggestions, and pointed
  • of the technical terms used in the book particularly pleased Darwin because, he told Candolle on
  • another grandson, was born in Cambridge. His parents, Ida and Horace Darwin, named him Erasmus in
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