To Herbert Spencer 25 November [1858]1
Down Bromley Kent
Nov. 25
Dear Sir
I beg permission to thank you sincerely for your very kind present of your Essays.—2 I have already read several of them with much interest. Your remarks on the general argument of the so-called Development Theory seem to me admirable.3 I am at present preparing an abstract of a larger work on the changes of species; but I treat the subject simply as a naturalist & not from a general point of view; otherwise, in my opinion, your argument could not have been improved on & might have been quoted by me with great advantage.
Your article on Music has also interested me much, for I had often thought on the subject & had come to nearly the same conclusion with you, though unable to support the notion in any detail.4 Furthermore by a curious coincidence Expression has been for years a favourite subject with me for loose speculation, & I most entirely agree with you that all expression has some biological meaning.—5
I hope to profit by your criticisms on style,6 & with my best thanks, I beg leave to remain | Dear Sir | Yours truly obliged | C. Darwin
Footnotes
Bibliography
Correspondence: The correspondence of Charles Darwin. Edited by Frederick Burkhardt et al. 29 vols to date. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. 1985–.
Descent: The descent of man, and selection in relation to sex. By Charles Darwin. 2 vols. London: John Murray. 1871.
Expression: The expression of the emotions in man and animals. By Charles Darwin. London: John Murray. 1872.
Notebooks: Charles Darwin’s notebooks, 1836–1844. Geology, transmutation of species, metaphysical enquiries. Transcribed and edited by Paul H. Barrett et al. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press for the British Museum (Natural History). 1987.
Summary
Thanks for HS’s Essays: [scientific, political, and speculative, vol. 1 (1858)]. Admires his general argument for the development theory.
CD is preparing an abstract on change of species. He treats subject as a naturalist, not from a general point of view. Otherwise he might have quoted HS’s argument to great advantage.
CD particularly liked articles on music and style. Expression is a favourite topic with CD. Agrees all expression is biological.
Letter details
- Letter no.
- DCP-LETT-2373
- From
- Charles Robert Darwin
- To
- Herbert Spencer
- Sent from
- Down
- Source of text
- University of London, Senate House Library (MS.791/41)
- Physical description
- ALS 3pp
Please cite as
Darwin Correspondence Project, “Letter no. 2373,” accessed on 18 April 2024, https://www.darwinproject.ac.uk/letter/?docId=letters/DCP-LETT-2373.xml
Also published in The Correspondence of Charles Darwin, vol. 7