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Darwin Correspondence Project

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Language: key letters

Summary

How and why language evolved bears on larger questions about the evolution of the human species, and the relationship between man and animals. Darwin presented his views on the development of human speech from animal sounds in The Descent of Man (1871),…

Matches: 4 hits

  • … separated from one stock.” Letter 2070: Wedgwood, Hensleigh to Darwin, C. R., [before 29 …
  • … continents.” Letter 3054: Darwin, C. R. to Lyell, Charles, 2 Feb [1861] If the …
  • … were separately created. Darwin writes to the geologist Charles Lyell about the views of the Harvard …
  • … do they scream & make loud noise?” Letter 7040: Wedgwood, Hensleigh to Darwin, C. R., …

The "wicked book": Origin at 157

Summary

Origin is 157 years old.  (Probably) the most famous book in science was published on 24 November 1859.  To celebrate we have uploaded hundreds of new images of letters, bringing the total number you can look at here to over 9000 representing more than…

Matches: 5 hits

  • … Russel Wallace , co-discoverer of natural selection; Charles Lyell , and Joseph Hooker , the …
  • … letters from family and friends, including letters between Charles and his wife Emma, and several of …
  • … parish of Down in Kent, and a lifelong friend of both Charles and Emma, sent information on …
  • … over me on rising William Darwin Fox , Charles’s cousin and another friend, compared …
  • … H. C. Watson J. J. Weir H. W. Bates Hensleigh Wedgwood J. S. Henslow C …

Julia Wedgwood

Summary

Charles Darwin’s readership largely consisted of other well-educated Victorian men, nonetheless, some women did read, review, and respond to Darwin’s work. One of these women was Darwin’s own niece, Julia Wedgwood, known in the family as “Snow”. In July…

Matches: 17 hits

  • Though Charles Darwins readership largely consisted of other well-educated
  • to his work. One of the foremost was his niece, Julia Wedgwood. She was the eldest child of
  • Her first important periodical contributions were on Darwin, Lyell, the debate on the origins of
  • on religion and Eliots irregular private life. Wedgwoods  The Moral Ideal , the outcome
  • to devote her time to her work. Emma Darwin was irritated by Wedgwood family criticism of this
  • brilliance of her teachers and the proximity of her uncle Charles Darwin, she ought, she said, “to
  • of Science”, about  On the Origin of Species . Wedgwood welcomed Darwins discoveries and sought
  • and that I find a very rare event with my critics”. ( Charles Darwin to F. J. Wedgwood, 11 July
  • of its authorship. (The other was by Alfred Wallace.) In it Wedgwood largely avoided the debate on
  • her conclusion she reclaimed Darwin as a Theist. When Fanny Wedgwood disclosed the reviews
  • significance of sexual selection] with approbation.” ( Charles and Emma Darwin to F. J. Wedgwood, …
  • religion in the biography of him Frank Darwin was preparing, Wedgwood was invited by her cousin, …
  • sons rejected it as not what Darwin had written and Wedgwood stepped back from the continuing family
  • the Darwin sons but was accepted by Emma Darwin, with whom Wedgwood remained on close terms until
  • the head”. Sources: Sue BrownJulia Wedgwood, the unexpected Victorian: the
  • Nineteenth Century Series, 2022) Jose Harris, ‘Wedgwood, (Frances) Julia (18331913)’, …
  • 1348; 4 (1861): 237-47. Wedgwood Barbara and Hensleigh Wedgwood. 1980. The Wedgwood Circle

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: 25 hits

  • … Edwards & Co. (1) Babbage, Charles (10) …
  • … Bond, Frederick (2) Boner, Charles (5) …
  • … Edward (1) Bradlaugh, Charles (2) …
  • … Brayley, E. W. (1) Breese, Charles (1) …
  • … Samuel (b) (14) Buxton, Charles (2) …
  • … Chapman, John (4) Charles, R. F. (2) …
  • … Crawfurd, John (3) Crawley, Charles (2) …
  • … Virginius (3) Dallas, Charles (1) …
  • … Dixie, Florence (3) Dixon, Charles (1) …
  • … Symington (1) Griffin, Charles (1) …
  • … Albert (64) Günzbourg, Charles (1) …
  • … Science-Gossip (1) Hardy, Charles (3) …
  • … Hinrichs, G. D. (4) Hinton, Charles (1) …
  • … King, P. P. (1) Kingsley, Charles (18) …
  • … Lane, E. W. (1) Langstaff, Charles (2) …
  • … Layard, E. L. (3) Layton, Charles (12) …
  • … Commissioners (1) Lovegrove, Charles (3) …
  • … Lydekker, R. (1) Lyell, Charles (277) …
  • … Daniel (12) Maclaren, Charles (3) …
  • … Ríos, Eugenio (1) Moore, Charles (a) (1) …
  • … Arthur (2) Mostyn Owen, Charles (b) (2) …
  • … Newton, Alfred (35) Nichols, Charles (1) …
  • … Adolf Erik (1) Nordhoff, Charles (1) …
  • … E. H. (1) O’Shaughnessy, Charles (1) …
  • … H. E. (1) Wedgwood, Hensleigh (20) …

Darwin in letters, 1860: Answering critics

Summary

On 7 January 1860, John Murray published the second edition of Darwin’s Origin of species, printing off another 3000 copies to satisfy the demands of an audience that surprised both the publisher and the author. It wasn't long, however, before ‘the…

Matches: 17 hits

  • the book was on sale even in railway stations ( letter to Charles Lyell, 14 January [1860] ). By
  • evidence. Several correspondents, such as his cousin Hensleigh Wedgwood and Heinrich Georg Bronn, …
  • current knowledge could not illuminate thismystery’. Charles Lyell worried, among other things, …
  • did not necessarily lead to progression ( letter to Charles Lyell, 18 [and 19 February 1860] ). To
  • of reasoning about global change. Darwin also knew that Lyell was a powerful potential ally. Indeed, …
  • plant species and varieties than from animal breeding. With Lyell also questioning how interbreeding
  • perfected structure as the eye. As Darwin admitted to Lyell, Gray, and others, imagining how
  • Certainly this was a major difficulty standing in the way of Lyells acceptance of the theory, as
  • explicitly in  Origin  — only one sentence, he told Lyell, showed that he believedman is in same
  • of the scientifically literate clergymen Baden Powell and Charles Kingsley attested. Moreover, …
  • any new converts or even cause earlier proponents (like Lyell) to retract their support altogether
  • he received, in letters to his closest confidants Hooker, Lyell, and Gray. Initially he found it
  • hostile critique of his geological argument, he wrote to Lyell on 6 June [1860] : 'I am
  • husbands current enthusiasm, Emma Darwin wrote to Mary Lyell: ‘At present he is treating Drosera
  • time on the  Drosera  study in particular, admitting to Lyellhow much better fun observing is
  • … & not amuse myself with interludes.—’ (letters to Charles Lyell, 24 November [1860] , and to
  • daughter Annes fatal illness never far from their minds, Charles and Emma did whatever they could

Journal of researches

Summary

Within two months of the Beagle’s arrival back in England in October 1836, Darwin, although busy with distributing his specimens among specialists for description, and more interested in working on his geological research, turned his mind to the task of…

Matches: 10 hits

  • FitzRoy ’. In contrast, when Darwins cousin Hensleigh Wedgwood and his wife Fanny read the
  • … ‘I am not in general a good reader of travels’, Hensleigh confessed, ‘ but I found no part of yours
  • length of the journal kept during the voyage, while another Wedgwood cousin continued to encourage
  • attending the renowned Birmingham Music Festival with his Wedgwood cousins. ‘ To write a book, I do
  • Chapter’, Darwin wrote to his sister Caroline, adding that Charles Lyellsays it beats all the
  • get lost as part of three-volume set. In September 1838, Charles Lyell reported that his father
  • of his work, and especially appreciated the positive view of Charles Lyell Sr, claiming thatto
  • from Colburn, Darwin had few scruples when, in 1845, at Lyells suggestion, he asked whether the
  • German edition produced in 1844, needed to be returned. ‘ Lyell recommended me to write to the
  • however, not least because it would have been anathema to Charles Lyell, to whom Darwin dedicated

Darwin in letters, 1874: A turbulent year

Summary

The year 1874 was one of consolidation, reflection, and turmoil for Darwin. He spent the early months working on second editions of Coral reefs and Descent of man; the rest of the year was mostly devoted to further research on insectivorous plants. A…

Matches: 9 hits

  • at Erasmuss house. The event was led by the medium Charles E. Williams, and was attended by George
  • Williams séance was held at the home of Darwins cousin Hensleigh Wedgwood. Those present included
  • friend Joseph Dalton Hooker, and finally borrowed one from Charles Lyell ( letter to Smith, Elder
  • at a much reduced price of nine shillings, in line with Charles Lyells  Students elements of
  • raising £860 ( Circular to John Lubbock, P. L. Sclater, Charles Lyell, W. B. Carpenter, and Michael
  • Sharpe, 24 November [1874] ).  He wrote in admiration of Charles Lyells plan to leave a bequest to
  • of the English editions. Darwins French publisher, Charles Reinwald, engaged new translators to
  • connotations of both Huxleys and Tyndalls addresses, Charles Lyell, who had spent his career
  • may be fairly said to have had an ovation’ ( letter from Charles Lyell, 1 September 1874 ). …

Darwin in letters, 1865: Delays and disappointments

Summary

The year was marked by three deaths of personal significance to Darwin: Hugh Falconer, a friend and supporter; Robert FitzRoy, captain of the Beagle; and William Jackson Hooker, director of the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, and father of Darwin’s friend…

Matches: 17 hits

  • In 1865, the chief work on Charles Darwins mind was the writing of  The variation of animals and
  • dispute between two of Darwins friends, John Lubbock and Charles Lyell . These events all inspired
  • claimed, important for his enjoyment of life. He wrote to Charles Lyell on 22 January [1865] , …
  • and those of Georges Louis Leclerc, comte de Buffon, and Charles Bonnet; Darwin wrote back: ‘I do
  • the Royal Society of Edinburgh criticising Origin . Like Charles Lyell, who wrote to Darwin on
  • for existence (ibid., pp. 27681). Darwin responded to Lyells account in some detail ( see letter
  • the correspondence. At the end of May, the dispute between Charles Lyell and John Lubbock over
  • human antiquity, adding a note to his preface asserting that Lyell in his  Antiquity of man , …
  • Natural History Review . He also cited a statement by Lyell in  Antiquity of man  that the pages
  • inadvertence’. Though Lubbock had raised the matter with Lyell before publishing, this statement, …
  • sent to Darwin and its enclosures have not been found, so Lyells letter to Hooker, which must have
  • Correspondence vol. 13. Hooker, while acknowledging Lyells fault, thought Lubbocks
  • of his must also have made the crisis particularly painful. Lyell had been to some extent his mentor
  • set up to support FitzRoys children ( see letter from Charles Shaw, 3 October 1865 ). …
  • a long holiday at Hengwrt, a house in Wales rented by the Hensleigh Wedgwoods for the summer, and
  • Correspondence vol. 13, CDsJournal’, Appendix I). Wedgwood and Darwin relatives visited Down
  • are letters commenting on Origin , including two from Charles Lyell, who had been sent the proof

Darwin in letters, 1875: Pulling strings

Summary

‘I am getting sick of insectivorous plants’, Darwin confessed in January 1875. He had worked on the subject intermittently since 1859, and had been steadily engaged on a book manuscript for nine months; January also saw the conclusion of a bitter dispute…

Matches: 4 hits

  • … and part of a circle of philanthropists that included Hensleigh and Frances Wedgwood. She had …
  • … the form of a poem: From the Insects to their friend, Charles Darwin We are very …
  • … local vicar George Sketchley Ffinden resurfaced. In 1873, Charles and Emma Darwin and the Lubbocks …
  • … including one of his oldest and dearest friends, Charles Lyell. Darwin had learned of Lyell’s …

Darwin’s reading notebooks

Summary

In April 1838, Darwin began recording the titles of books he had read and the books he wished to read in Notebook C (Notebooks, pp. 319–28). In 1839, these lists were copied and continued in separate notebooks. The first of these reading notebooks (DAR 119…

Matches: 27 hits

  • by H. W. Rutherford ( Catalogue of the library of Charles Darwin now in the Botany School, …
  • Louisiana [darby 1816] & Finch Travels [Finch 1833]. (Lyell) Maximilian in Brazil [Wied
  • of Mexico [W. H. Prescott 1843], strongly recommended by Lyell (read) Berkeleys Works
  • 1844] L d  Cloncurry Memm [Lawless 1849] Lady Lyell Sir J Heads Forest scenes in
  • round world 18036 [Lisyansky 1814]— nothing Lyells Elements of Geology [Lyell 1838] …
  • J 57  Brownes Religio Medici [T. Browne 1643] Lyells Book III 5th Edit 58  [Lyell 1837] …
  • … —— 30 th  Lyells Principles. 3. Vol. 6 th  Edit [Lyell 1840]— references at end.— April 6
  • abstracted 22 d  Lyells Elem. 2 d  Edit. [Lyell 1841] d[itt]o.— Jan 3 d . …
  • Miserable Aug. 5 th  Lyells Travels in N. America [Lyell 1845] Oct. Cosmos [A. von
  • … [J. J. von Tschudi 1847] 15. Skimmed 7 th  Edit of Lyells Elements 80  [Lyell 1847] …
  • in Sutherlandshire [Saint John 1849] June 30. Sir C. Lyell Second Visit to America [Lyell
  • 1859] } Fanny The Woman in White [Collins 1860] } Hensleigh [DAR *128: 151] …
  • 1859]. (goodish) 1  The personal library of Charles Stokes from whom CD borrowed books
  • … (Liebig 1851). 50  Probably Elizabeth Wedgwood. 51  This note is a
  • withXin brown crayon. 101  Fanny Hensleigh, i.e., Frances Mackintosh Wedgwood. …
  • Erskine. 2 vols. London.  *119: 14 Babington, Charles Cardale. 1839Primitiæ floræ   …
  • of Useful Knowledge.) London.  *119: 13 Badham, Charles David. 1845Insect life . …
  • … [Abstract in DAR 205.3: 180.] 119: 21a Bell, Charles. 1806Essays on the anatomy of
  • of the London Clay . London.  *119: 12v. Brace, Charles Loring. 1852Hungary in 1851: …
  • life from 1838 to the present   time . Edited by John Charles Templer. 3 vols. London128: 9
  • … . 3 vols. Edinburgh and London128: 25 Bunbury, Charles James Fox. 1848Journal of a
  • nature of virtue . Cambridge.  *119: 13 Buxton, Charles. 1848Memoirs of Sir Thomas
  • Rural hours . 2 vols. London.  *119: 24 Coote, Charles. 1819The history of England, …
  • to the treaty concluded at Paris, in the year 1815; by   Charles Coote . 4 vols. London119: …
  • during the years 18381842, under the command of Charles Wilkes, U.S.N. New York. [Abstract in DAR
  • during the years 18381842, under the command of Charles Wilkes, U.S.N. Philadelphia. [Abstract in
  • of Essex, in the reigns of Elizabeth, James I.,   and Charles I., 15401646 . 2 vols. London.  …

Scientific Networks

Summary

Friendship|Mentors|Class|Gender In its broadest sense, a scientific network is a set of connections between people, places, and things that channel the communication of knowledge, and that substantially determine both its intellectual form and content,…

Matches: 3 hits

  • … extract anything valuable from his letters to Darwin and Lyell for Athenæum . He mentioned Darwin …
  • … day with Henslow; much had to be done. His friend, Alexander Charles Wood, has written to Capt. …
  • … well as sister Catherine’s and his own. He also notes that Hensleigh [Wedgwood] thinks he has …