skip to content
Home

Darwin Correspondence Project

To G. B. A. Duchenne1   29 March [1871]2

Permettez moi de vous offrir mes remercimens cordiales pour votre extrème bonté en me donnant la permission de faire copier vos photographies.

Je m’en servirai certainement pour donner No 61 & 65; et peut être No 23—3 Mais de celle ci je ne peux pas encore décider—

Votre lettre entière m’a beaucoup interessé, et l’information sur le triangulaire des levres m’est trés utile. Je m’empresserai de donner vos conclusions.4

Autrefois j’ai fait des observations sur les singes dans les jardins Z.5 Je les ai etonnés en leur montrant un serpent vivant en vie, et je crois qu’ils ont elevé leurs sourcils; mais ils etaient tellement agités que je n’ai pas osé me fier à mes impressions. Ainsi j’aurai une grande satisfaction à citer le fait sur votre autorité.6

Croyez moi Monsieur avec reconnaissance pour votre bonté & avec le plus sincère respect | C. D—

March 29

Footnotes

1
For a translation of this letter, see Correspondence vol. 19, Appendix I.
2
The year is established by the relationship between this letter and the letter from G. B. A. Duchenne, 25 March 1871.
3
CD refers to the numbers of plates in Duchenne 1862. See letter to G. B. A. Duchenne, about 10 March [1871] and n. 3.
4
See letter from G. B. A. Duchenne, 25 March 1871. In Expression, p. 258 n. 8, CD noted that Duchenne believed the corners of the lower lip were drawn downwards by the depressores anguli oris (triangular of the lips).
5
CD refers to the gardens of the Zoological Society of London in Regent’s Park.
6
See letter from G. B. A. Duchenne, 25 March 1871 and n. 6. In Expression, pp. 144–5, CD described his own experiments with monkeys along with Duchenne’s observations of his pet monkey.

Bibliography

Correspondence: The correspondence of Charles Darwin. Edited by Frederick Burkhardt et al. 29 vols to date. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. 1985–.

Duchenne, Guillaume Benjamin Amand. 1862. Mécanisme de la physionomie humaine, ou analyse électro-physiologique de l’expression des passions. 1 vol. and ‘Atlas’ of plates. Paris: Ve Jules Renouard, Libraire.

Expression: The expression of the emotions in man and animals. By Charles Darwin. London: John Murray. 1872.

Translation

To G. B. A. Duchenne1   29 March [1871]2

Allow me to offer you my cordial thanks for your extreme goodness in giving me permission to have your photographs copied.

I shall certainly make use of them for No 61 & 65; and perhaps No 23—3 But I cannot yet decide about the latter—

Your entire letter interested me greatly, and the information on the triangular of the lips is very useful. I shall hasten to give your conclusions.4

I once made observations on monkeys in the Z. gardens.5 I astonished them by showing them a living snake, and I think that they raised their eyebrows; but they were so agitated that I dared not rely upon my impressions. Thus I shall take great satisfaction in citing the fact on your authority.6

Believe me Sir with thanks for your goodness & with the most sincere respect | C. D—

March 29

Footnotes

1
For a transcription of this letter in its original French, see Transcript.
2
The year is established by the relationship between this letter and the letter from G. B. A. Duchenne, 25 March 1871.
3
CD refers to the numbers of plates in Duchenne 1862. See letter to G. B. A. Duchenne, about 10 March [1871] and n. 3.
4
See letter from G. B. A. Duchenne, 25 March 1871. In Expression, p. 258 n. 8, CD noted that Duchenne believed the corners of the lower lip were drawn downwards by the depressores anguli oris (triangular of the lips).
5
CD refers to the gardens of the Zoological Society of London in Regent’s Park.
6
See letter from G. B. A. Duchenne, 25 March 1871 and n. 6. In Expression, pp. 144–5, CD described his own experiments with monkeys along with Duchenne’s observations of his pet monkey.

Bibliography

Correspondence: The correspondence of Charles Darwin. Edited by Frederick Burkhardt et al. 29 vols to date. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. 1985–.

Duchenne, Guillaume Benjamin Amand. 1862. Mécanisme de la physionomie humaine, ou analyse électro-physiologique de l’expression des passions. 1 vol. and ‘Atlas’ of plates. Paris: Ve Jules Renouard, Libraire.

Expression: The expression of the emotions in man and animals. By Charles Darwin. London: John Murray. 1872.

Summary

Thanks GBAD for permission to use his photographs [see 7623] and for the information on the expression of astonishment in monkeys.

Letter details

Letter no.
DCP-LETT-7640
From
Charles Robert Darwin
To
Guillaume Benjamin Amand Duchenne
Sent from
Down
Source of text
DAR 96: 109–10
Physical description
Draft(A) 3pp (French)

Please cite as

Darwin Correspondence Project, “Letter no. 7640,” accessed on 10 October 2024, https://www.darwinproject.ac.uk/letter/?docId=letters/DCP-LETT-7640.xml

Also published in The Correspondence of Charles Darwin, vol. 19

letter

Darwin Correspondence Project
darwin@lib.cam.ac.uk

© University of Cambridge 2022

Copyright declaration

Privacy policy

Website by Surface Impression

 

Study at Cambridge

About the University

Research at Cambridge