From C. H. Brett 1 May 1871
Summary
Corrects Descent: snipes do breed in Ireland.
| Author: | Charles Henry Brett |
| Addressee: | Charles Robert Darwin |
| Date: | 1 May 1871 |
| Classmark: | DAR 90: 74 |
| Letter no: | DCP-LETT-7732 |
From C. W. Peach 1 May 1871
Summary
Sends specimens of gulf-weed and cirripedes for CD to identify.
Various observations on Descent,
inherited deafness,
recognition of musical notes by dog, etc.
| Author: | Charles William Peach |
| Addressee: | Charles Robert Darwin |
| Date: | 1 May 1871 |
| Classmark: | DAR 89: 177–8 |
| Letter no: | DCP-LETT-7731 |
From Francis Galton 2 May 1871
Summary
Is sending his reply to Nature, justifying his misunderstanding as well as he can [see 7717].
| Author: | Francis Galton |
| Addressee: | Charles Robert Darwin |
| Date: | 2 May 1871 |
| Classmark: | DAR 105: 30 |
| Letter no: | DCP-LETT-7733 |
From Herbert Spencer 2 May 1871
Summary
Intends to answer Sir A. Grant’s article if CD does not. [A. Grant, "Philosophy and Mr Darwin", Contemp. Rev. 17 (1871): 274–81; H. Spencer, "Mental evolution", Contemp. Rev. 17 (1871): 461–2.]
| Author: | Herbert Spencer |
| Addressee: | Charles Robert Darwin |
| Date: | 2 May 1871 |
| Classmark: | DAR 177: 229 |
| Letter no: | DCP-LETT-7734 |
To V. O. Kovalevsky 3 May 1871
Summary
Asks VOK to translate a passage from Franz Körte, Die Streich-, Zug- oder Wander-Heuschrecke [1828], p. 33.
Deplores the "fearful piece of tyranny" that is obstructing publication of Descent in Russia.
| Author: | Charles Robert Darwin |
| Addressee: | Vladimir Onufrievich Kovalevsky (Владимир Онуфриевич Ковалевский) |
| Date: | 3 May 1871 |
| Classmark: | Institut Mittag-Leffler |
| Letter no: | DCP-LETT-7735 |
From Charles Langstaff 3 May 1871
Summary
Contraction of platysma occurs during surgery under chloroform from touch of knife, independently of fear.
| Author: | Charles Langstaff |
| Addressee: | Charles Robert Darwin |
| Date: | 3 May 1871 |
| Classmark: | DAR 195.2 (letters): 37 |
| Letter no: | DCP-LETT-7737 |
From Henry Lonsdale 3 May 1871
Summary
Credit for observation on supra-condyloid foramen in man is really due to Robert Knox, not John Struthers, as in Descent.
| Author: | Henry Lonsdale |
| Addressee: | Charles Robert Darwin |
| Date: | 3 May 1871 |
| Classmark: | DAR 87: 47–8 |
| Letter no: | DCP-LETT-7736 |
To G. R. Jesse 4 May [1871]
Summary
Asks for information about habits of a breed of terriers.
| Author: | Charles Robert Darwin |
| Addressee: | George Richard Jesse |
| Date: | 4 May [1871] |
| Classmark: | Scripps College, Denison Library (Perkins Autograph Letter Collection) |
| Letter no: | DCP-LETT-7739 |
From M. T. Masters 6 May 1871
Summary
After reading Descent, MTM sends report of a dog that woke its master at 7 a.m. on work days and 8 a.m. on Sunday.
| Author: | Maxwell Tylden Masters |
| Addressee: | Charles Robert Darwin |
| Date: | 6 May 1871 |
| Classmark: | DAR 171: 82 |
| Letter no: | DCP-LETT-7740 |
From Luigi Pomba 6 May 1871
Summary
Arrangements for Italian translation of Descent [1871].
| Author: | Luigi Pomba |
| Addressee: | Charles Robert Darwin |
| Date: | 6 May 1871 |
| Classmark: | DAR 174: 57 |
| Letter no: | DCP-LETT-7741 |
From F. S. B. F. de Chaumont to W. E. Darwin 7 May 1871
Summary
The pupils of eyes of ague patients in the cold stage are dilated.
| Author: | Francis Stephen Bennet François de Chaumont |
| Addressee: | William Erasmus Darwin |
| Date: | 7 May 1871 |
| Classmark: | DAR 162: 137 |
| Letter no: | DCP-LETT-7743 |
To R. F. Cooke 8 May 1871
Summary
Sends photographs he intends to use in Expression and asks for estimates of cost per thousand of each process [Woodburytype and Heliotype] suggested by RC and for different numbers of photos on each plate.
| Author: | Charles Robert Darwin |
| Addressee: | Robert Francis Cooke; John Murray |
| Date: | 8 May 1871 |
| Classmark: | National Library of Scotland (John Murray Archive) (Ms. 42152 ff. 289–90) |
| Letter no: | DCP-LETT-7744 |
From William Preyer 8 May 1871
Summary
Delighted that CD does not hesitate to follow his theory to its last consequences. "This is far more difficult in England than in Germany."
Wilhelm Müller in his new book [Beiträge zur pathologischen Anatomie und Physiologie des menschlichen Rückenmarks (1871)], adduces many facts in favour of CD’s theory.
Various observations on the human ear. [See Descent, 2d ed., p. 14 n.]
| Author: | William Thierry (William) Preyer |
| Addressee: | Charles Robert Darwin |
| Date: | 8 May 1871 |
| Classmark: | DAR 87: 49–51 |
| Letter no: | DCP-LETT-7745 |
To M. T. Masters 9 May [1871]
Summary
Thanks correspondent for information about a dog.
| Author: | Charles Robert Darwin |
| Addressee: | Maxwell Tylden Masters |
| Date: | 9 May [1871] |
| Classmark: | American Philosophical Society (Mss.B.D25.395) |
| Letter no: | DCP-LETT-7746 |
From V. O. Kovalevsky 10 May 1871
Summary
Paris is in the hands of "brigands and socialists", but one grows accustomed to sporadic bombardment,
and VOK is peacefully studying invertebrate palaeontology collections.
Reports on Paul Gervais’ successful cross between a Triton and an axolotl.
| Author: | Vladimir Onufrievich Kovalevsky (Владимир Онуфриевич Ковалевский) |
| Addressee: | Charles Robert Darwin |
| Date: | 10 May 1871 |
| Classmark: | DAR 169: 89 |
| Letter no: | DCP-LETT-7752 |
To John Murray 10 May [1871]
Summary
CD is perplexed about illustrations for Expression, i.e., whether photographs are better than woodcuts. He thinks photographs, but does not know which process is preferable. Asks JM to inquire.
| Author: | Charles Robert Darwin |
| Addressee: | John Murray |
| Date: | 10 May [1871] |
| Classmark: | National Library of Scotland (John Murray Archive) (Ms. 42152 ff. 278–9) |
| Letter no: | DCP-LETT-7749 |
From John Murray 10 May 1871
Summary
Offers CD same payment for the 3d issue of Descent as for 2d.
Has bespoke four better drawings of birds in case a 4th issue is needed.
Vanity Fair wants CD’s portrait by Carlo Pellegrini ["Ape"].
| Author: | John Murray |
| Addressee: | Charles Robert Darwin |
| Date: | 10 May 1871 |
| Classmark: | DAR 171: 398 |
| Letter no: | DCP-LETT-7750 |
To Luigi Pomba 10 May 1871
Summary
Has no objection to LP’s replacing Loescher in publishing an Italian translation of Descent. Murray will give proper authorisation.
| Author: | Charles Robert Darwin |
| Addressee: | Luigi Pomba |
| Date: | 10 May 1871 |
| Classmark: | National Library of Scotland (John Murray Archive) (Ms. 42153 ff. 46–7) |
| Letter no: | DCP-LETT-7748 |
From J. W. Spengel 10 May 1871
Summary
Thanks CD for his letter referring to JWS’s bibliographical paper ["Darwinian bibliography", Z. Ethnol. 3 (1871): 56–67]. Will be glad to inform CD of any additions to the list and would be grateful for information on future publications.
| Author: | Johann Wilhelm Spengel |
| Addressee: | Charles Robert Darwin |
| Date: | 10 May 1871 |
| Classmark: | DAR 177: 235 |
| Letter no: | DCP-LETT-7751 |
To ? 10 May [1871]
Summary
Thanks correspondent for item of criticism in a foreign newspaper.
| Author: | Charles Robert Darwin |
| Addressee: | Unidentified |
| Date: | 10 May [1871] |
| Classmark: | American Philosophical Society (Mss.B.D25.396) |
| Letter no: | DCP-LETT-7747 |
| letter | (61) |
| Darwin, C. R. | (25) |
| Darwin, Francis | (3) |
| Kovalevsky, V. O. | (3) |
| Murray, John (b) | (3) |
| Galton, Francis | (2) |
| Darwin, C. R. | (34) |
| Cooke, R. F. | (3) |
| Murray, John (b) | (3) |
| Darwin, Francis | (2) |
| John Murray | (2) |
| Darwin, C. R. | (59) |
| Murray, John (b) | (6) |
| Darwin, Francis | (5) |
| Kovalevsky, V. O. | (5) |
| Cooke, R. F. | (3) |
Wearing his knowledge lightly: From Fritz Müller, 5 April 1878
Summary
Darwin received letters from so many people and wrote so many fascinating letters himself, that it’s hard to choose from many letters that stand out, but one of this editor’s favourites, that always brings a smile, is a letter from Fritz Müller written 5…
Matches: 1 hits
- … brings a smile, is a letter from Fritz Müller written 5 April 1878 . Müller was a German …
My most solemn request: To Emma Darwin, 5 July 1844
Summary
Alistair Sponsel talks about a touching letter Darwin sent to his wife Emma in 1844. Having just completed a sketch of his species theory, Darwin wrote detailed instructions about what to do with his manuscript in the event of his death.
Matches: 1 hits
- … Alistair Sponsel talks about a touching letter Darwin sent to his wife …
4.48 'Puck', cartoon 5
Summary
< Back to Introduction Following on from Reason Against Unreason and The Sun of the Nineteenth Century, another cartoon in the American humorous magazine Puck depicted Darwin as the epitome of philosophical enlightenment. The Universal Church of the…
Matches: 1 hits
- … < Back to Introduction Following on from Reason Against Unreason and The Sun of …
Charles Harrison Blackley
Summary
You may not have heard of Charles Harrison Blackley (1820–1900), but if you are one of the 15 million people in the UK who suffer from hay fever, you are indebted to him. For it was he who identified pollen as the cause of the allergy. Darwin was…
Darwin and Down
Summary
Charles and Emma Darwin, with their first two children, settled at Down House in the village of Down (later ‘Downe’) in Kent, as a young family in 1842. The house came with eighteen acres of land, and a fifteen acre meadow. The village combined the…
Darwin in letters, 1872: Job done?
Summary
'My career’, Darwin wrote towards the end of 1872, 'is so nearly closed. . . What little more I can do, shall be chiefly new work’, and the tenor of his correspondence throughout the year is one of wistful reminiscence, coupled with a keen eye…
Matches: 5 hits
- … appear’, complained Darwin ( letter to St G. J. Mivart, 5 January 1872 ). Piqued, Mivart flung …
- … accepted it at least in part ( letter to August Weismann, 5 April 1872 ). ‘I wanted some …
- … to believe it’ ( letter to Herman Müller, [before 5 May 1872] ). Müller had sent him a …
- … myself was standing’ ( letter to Hermann Müller, [before 5 May 1872] ). Finishing …
- … to me, which have ever been made’ ( letter to Mary Treat, 5 January 1872 ). In June, Lady …
Darwin's Fantastical Voyage
Summary
Learn about Darwin's adventures on his epic journey.
Matches: 1 hits
- … These activities explore Darwin’s life changing voyage aboard HMS Beagle. Using letters home, …
Detecting Darwin
Summary
Who was Charles Darwin? What is he famous for? Why is he still important?
Matches: 1 hits
- … Pupils act as Darwin detectives, exploring clues about Darwin’s life and work. No prior knowledge …
Language: Interview with Gregory Radick
Summary
Darwin made a famous comment about parallels between changes in language and species change. Gregory Radick, Professor of History and Philosophy of Science at Leeds University, talks about the importance of the development of language to Darwin, what…
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…
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: 20 hits
- … (1) Austen, J. T. (5) Austin, A. D. …
- … H. (7) Ball, John (5) Ball, Robert …
- … (1) Beaufort, Francis (5) Becher, A. B. …
- … (8) Beneden, Édouard van (5) Bennet, C. A. (b) …
- … (1) Birch, Samuel (5) Birkett, Thomas …
- … (2) Boner, Charles (5) Bonham-Carter, Alice …
- … (2) Bookseller. (5) Boole, M. E. (3) …
- … (29) Brace, C. L. (5) Bradfield, Thomas …
- … (3) Canby, W. M. (5) Candolle, Alphonse de …
- … Carneri, Bartholomäus von (5) Carpenter, W. B. (19) …
- … (3) Clark, Andrew (5) Clark, J. W. (a) …
- … (2) Collingwood, Cuthbert (5) Colvile, J. W. …
- … (1) Cross, George (5) Cross, R. A. …
- … (4) Crotch, W. D. (5) Crowe, J. R. …
- … (1) Dew-Smith, A. G. (5) Dicey, A. V. …
- … (2) Doedes, N. D. (5) Dohrn, Anton …
- … (3) Drummond, James (a) (5) Drysdale, …
- … (3) Edmondston, Laurence (5) Edwards & …
- … (1) Edwards, Henry (5) Edwards, W. H. …
- … (3) Forchhammer, J. G. (5) Ford, G. H. …
Darwin in letters, 1863: Quarrels at home, honours abroad
Summary
At the start of 1863, Charles Darwin was actively working on the manuscript of The variation of animals and plants under domestication, anticipating with excitement the construction of a hothouse to accommodate his increasingly varied botanical experiments…
Matches: 7 hits
- … as he put it in a letter to J. D. Hooker of 24[–5] February [1863] . When Huxley’s book described …
- … mentor had not said a word ( letter to J. D. Hooker, 24[–5] February [1863] ). Darwin did …
- … for a fitting opportunity’ ( letter to Hugh Falconer, 5 [and 6] January [1863] ). …
- … been filled in the fossil record ( letter to Hugh Falconer, 5 [and 6] January [1863] ). Only until …
- … the Athenæum in response ( letter to J. D. Hooker, 5 March [1863] ). He later expressed …
- … honours like the Copley Medal ( see letter to J. D. Hooker, 5 [December 1863] ). Plants and …
- … reminder of their loss (see Correspondence vol. 5). Unable to find Annie’s gravestone in 1863, …
The Lyell–Lubbock dispute
Summary
In May 1865 a dispute arose between John Lubbock and Charles Lyell when Lubbock, in his book Prehistoric times, accused Lyell of plagiarism. The dispute caused great dismay among many of their mutual scientific friends, some of whom took immediate action…
Matches: 5 hits
- … in Danish (Morlot 1859, Forchhammer et al. 1851–5); Lubbock cited Morlot as the source of many …
- … work in the Brixham cave explorations of 1858 and 1859. 5 Another controversy arose when …
- … editions of Antiquity of man , see Grayson 1985. 5. For two interpretations of Hugh …
- … Correspondence vol. 11, letter to J. D. Hooker, 24[–5] February [1863] . On Lyell’s …
- … 1865 (University of Edinburgh, Lyell 1, Gen. 113: 3644–5). 17. Rough notes for letter …
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 …
Rewriting Origin - the later editions
Summary
For such an iconic work, the text of Origin was far from static. It was a living thing that Darwin continued to shape for the rest of his life, refining his ‘one long argument’ through a further five English editions. Many of his changes were made in…
Matches: 5 hits
- … 1865 4 th English edition published, 1866 5 th English edition published, 1869 …
- … Joseph Hooker on the Arctic. 4 th to 5 th edition I have, …
- … von Nägeli, resulting in a substantial addition ( Origin 5 th ed, pp 151–3). Nägeli had …
- … of significant correspondents. 5 th to 6 th edition …
- … French edition which had already begun using the text of the 5 th English edition but had fallen …
Darwin’s hothouse and lists of hothouse plants
Summary
Darwin became increasingly involved in botanical experiments in the years after the publication of Origin. The building of a small hothouse - a heated greenhouse - early in 1863 greatly increased the range of plants that he could keep for scientific…
Matches: 14 hits
- … account book (Down House MS) and Correspondence vol. 5, letter to J. D. Hooker, 19 April [1855 …
- … beauty in each leaf’ (letter to J. D. Hooker, 24[–5] February [1863] ). Darwin’s aesthetic …
- … to which they belonged. In his letter to Hooker of 5 March [1863] , he announced that the plants …
- … by Darwin; these lists are in DAR 255: 8 and DAR 255: 2–5. The first is a list that Darwin …
- … plants sent to him by Hooker (see letter to J. D. Hooker, 5 March [1863] ), since many of the …
- … to Darwin from Kew. Darwin said in the letter to Hooker of 5 March [1863] that he had received …
- … Malpighia urens 5 …
- … —— speciosa 5 do. do. …
- … § Gongora atropurpurea 5 § Cyrtopodium Andersonii …
- … § —— maculata 5 —— punctata 10 …
- … Anoectochilus argenteus 12 5 s . § …
- … curassavica. 4. Canna Warszewiczii. 5. ‘speciosa’ deleted in pencil. 6. This …
- … 1863a, p. 10. See also letter to J. D. Hooker, 24[–5] February [1863] and n. 19. 9. …
- … aurantiaca 12. ‘Anoectochilus argenteus 5 s .’ deleted in ink. 13. ‘—— pictus 8 …
Abstract of Darwin’s theory
Summary
There are two extant versions of the abstract of Darwin’s theory of natural selection. One was sent to Asa Gray on 5 September 1857, enclosed with a letter of the same date (see Correspondence vol. 6, letter to Asa Gray, 5 September [1857] and enclosure).…
Matches: 3 hits
German poems presented to Darwin
Summary
Experiments in deepest reverence The following poems were enclosed with a photograph album sent as a birthday gift to Charles Darwin by his German and Austrian admirers (see letter from From Emil Rade, [before 16] February 1877). The poems were…
Matches: 1 hits
- … gewidmete Gedichte sind dem Album besonders beigefügt. 5 Translation …
'An Appeal' against animal cruelty
Summary
The four-page pamphlet transcribed below and entitled 'An Appeal', was composed jointly by Emma and Charles Darwin (see letter from Emma Darwin to W. D. Fox, [29 September 1863]). The pamphlet, which protested against the cruelty of steel vermin…
Matches: 3 hits
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: 5 hits
- … able to throw off thick dictionaries by flexing. On 5 April , Edward Blyth, who had supplied …
- … 3 June 1868 ). ‘It was very kind’, Darwin wrote on 5 June , ‘almost heroic, in you to sacrifice …
- … distributed it in Japan ( letter from J. D. Hooker, 5 September 1868 ); Edward Wilson, a neighbour …
- … Molendo and Alexander Walther addressed themselves on 5 August to ‘the Reformator of Natural …
- … had sent four letters the previous year, wrote again on 5 October , ‘I am quite distressed that …
