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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: 19 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 …
… me much’ ( letter to Francis Galton, 15 [June 1879 ] ). Even the prospect of a holiday in the Lake …
… he fretted, just days before his departure ( letter to W. T. Thiselton-Dyer, [after 26] July [1879 ] …
… ‘a dismal time’ ( letter to Henry Johnson, 24 September 1879 ). He may have been consoled to learn …
… all over like a baked pear’ ( enclosure in letter from R. W. Dixon, 20 December 1879 ). The year …
… or gone some other way round?’ At least the last letter of 1879 contained a warmer note and the …
… to complete Horace’s marriage settlement ( letter from W. M. Hacon, 31 December 1879 ). …
… & would please Francis’, he pointed out ( letter from E. A. Darwin, 13 March [1879 ]). …
… thought ‘perfect in every way’ ( letter from E. A. Wheler, 25 March 1879 ). She suggested that …
… and he regretted going beyond his ‘tether’ ( letter to W. T. Thiselton-Dyer, 5 June 1879 , and …
… traveller … neither cross nor ennuied’ (Emma Darwin to W. E. Darwin, [4 August 1879 ] (DAR 219.1: 125 …
… & that it was suppressed gout. Also how well off he wd be, w. is a matter of some consequence …
… to say that he has opposed it’ (letter from Emma Darwin to W. E. Darwin, [4 August 1879 ] (DAR 219.1: …
… get home ‘& began drumming at once’ (Emma Darwin to H. E. Litchfield, [27 August 1879 ] (DAR 219 …
… it dominated the picture (letter from Emma Darwin to H. E. Litchfield, [17 July 1879 ] (DAR 219.9: …
… German men of science quarrelled (letter from Emma Darwin to W. E. Darwin, [6 September 1879 ] (DAR …

Diagrams and drawings in letters

Summary

Over 850 illustrations from the printed volumes of The Correspondence of Charles Darwin have been added to the online transcripts of the letters. The contents include maps, diagrams, drawings, sketches and photographs, covering geological, botanical,…

Matches: 3 hits

… Forbes's "Atlantis" theory, [25 February 1846] E. A. Darwin's …
… containing bud samples, 12 May 1878 G. H. Darwin's drawings of Thalia dealbata …
… map of the sandhills in central Sweden, 16 February 1879 C. W. Hamilton's …

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: 24 hits

… heart & soul care for worms & nothing else in this world,’ Darwin wrote to his old …
… to adapt to varying conditions. The implications of Darwin’s work for the boundary between animals …
… studies of animal instincts by George John Romanes drew upon Darwin’s 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. …
… to find an ordinary mortal who could laugh’ ( letter from W. E. Darwin to Charles and Emma Darwin, …
… he had written for the German journal Kosmos in February 1879 , an issue produced in honour of …
… Butler, Evolution old and new , which had appeared in May 1879 . Krause wanted to correct Butler’s …
… Correspondence vol. 27, letter from Ernst Krause, 7 June 1879 , and letter to Ernst Krause, 9 …
… Darwin stated that Krause’s piece had been written in 1879 (before Evolution old and new was …
… wants a grievance to hang an article upon’ ( letter from W. E. Darwin, [28 January 1880] ). …
… one or both to his daughter Henrietta ( letter to H. E. Litchfield, 1 February [1880] ). ‘The …
… he will have the last word’, she warned ( letter from H. E. Litchfield, [1 February 1880] ). ‘He …
… had raised the plant from seeds sent by Asa Gray in December 1879 . His observations differed, …
… by Gray in an article and textbook (A. Gray 1877 and A. Gray 1879 , pp. 20–1). ‘I think you cannot …
… pretended, ‘but the subject has amused me’ ( letter to W. C. McIntosh, 18 June 1880 ). Members of …
… the reasons, I should be greatly obliged’ ( letter from W. Z. Seddon, 2 February 1880) . Darwin …
… he added, ‘hardly anybody has accepted’ ( letter to W. Z. Seddon, 4 February 1880 ). On 16 …
… aided in any way direct attacks on religion’ ( letter to E. B. Aveling, 13 October 1880 ). Finally …
… to the greatest biologist of our time’ ( letter from W. D. Roebuck to G. H. Darwin, 25 October 1880 …
… his great doctrines …“Come of Age”‘ ( letter from W. C. Williamson to Emma Darwin, 2 September 1880 …
… vol. 27, letter from J. D. Hooker, 18 December 1879 ). For some years, Wallace’s main source of …
… his voice as clearly as if he were present’ (letters to C. W. Fox, 29 March 1880 and 10 [April …

Movement in Plants

Summary

The power of movement in plants, published on 7 November 1880, was the final large botanical work that Darwin wrote. It was the only work in which the assistance of one of his children, Francis Darwin, is mentioned on the title page. The research for this…

Matches: 26 hits

… 7 November 1880, was the final large botanical work that Darwin wrote. It was the only work in which …
… about their research while he was away from home. Although Darwin lacked a state of the art research …
… the advantages of both while Francis was working abroad. Darwin was privy to the inner workings of …
… methods and use the most advanced laboratory equipment. Darwin also benefitted from the instrument …
… that Francis had been introduced to at Würzburg. Darwin described his experimental practice …
… plant physiology, but it was at its core informed by Darwin’s theory of evolution, particularly by …
… early 1860s, at a time when his health was especially bad, Darwin had taken up the study of climbing …
… reproduced as a small book, giving it a much wider audience. Darwin was not the first naturalist to …
… which eventually appeared in 1875. In the same year, Darwin published a much longer work, …
… about the nature of movement, so much so, that at one point Darwin had considered combining the …
… digestive processes. With his final great botanical work, Darwin would attempt ‘ to bring all the …
… Francis worked in this laboratory in the summers of 1878 and 1879 , he encountered some of the most …
… couple of days ( letter from A. F. Batalin, 28 February 1879 ). Darwin was especially keen for his …
… so much at odds ( letter to Hugo de Vries 13 February 1879 ). He was reassured by De Vries, who …
… When Francis spent a month in Algiers in early 1879 , Darwin asked him to visit the botanist Gaetano …
… seeds ( letter to Francis Darwin, [4 February – 8 March 1879 ] ). He continued to write up the …
… ’. The lull in experimental work continued into March 1879 , and Darwin seemed weary when he told …
… the subject of bloom from his book. In mid-June 1879 , Darwin was pleased to get back to …
… Frank’s ‘Transversal-Heliotropismus’ ( letter from W. E. Darwin, 10 February [1880] ). …
… ‘ I am very sorry that Sachs is so sceptical, for I w d . rather convert him than any other half …
… and growth ( letter from Hugo de Vries, 7 August 1879 ). Darwin replied, ‘ I thank you much for …
… the Spring ’. Luckily, De Vries published two papers in 1879 and 1880 that Darwin was later able to …
… ‘A horrid bore’ In late October 1879 , Darwin told Gray, ‘ I have written a rather big …
… as ‘little discs’ and ‘greenish bodies’ ( letter to W. T. Thiselton-Dyer, 29 October 1879 ). …
… that he had not been able to observe earlier ( letter to W. T. Thiselton-Dyer, 20 November 1879 ). …
… pay more for at the usual rate of charging per inch &c they w d . be over £40’; he suggested …

Darwin’s student booklist

Summary

In October 1825 Charles Darwin and his older brother, Erasmus, went to study medicine in Edinburgh, where their father, Robert Waring Darwin, had trained as a doctor in the 1780’s. Erasmus had already graduated from Cambridge and was continuing his studies…

Matches: 15 hits

… In October 1825 Charles Darwin and his older brother, Erasmus, went to study medicine in Edinburgh, …
… on to London for further medical training (see letter from E. A. Darwin, [29 September 1826] ). …
… of England. This list is difficult to date precisely. Darwin mentions reading Granby in a …
… The position of Granby on the list would suggest that Darwin was very busy reading in January …
… of chemistry in 1801. Other books illustrate Darwin’s wider scientific interests, and also …
… , which was edited by David Brewster; and Robert Grant took Darwin to meetings of the Wernerian …
… university. There are several books of travel, and Darwin seems to have been particularly …
… arctic zoology. Two titles are closely connected with Darwin’s family. Zoonomia was …
… a week between March 1750 and March 1752. Both he and Dr Darwin had Lichfield connections, but the …
… Almack’s , Granby and Brambletye House. Darwin wrote to his sister Susan on 29 January …
… <Ni>tric Oxide? (DAR 19: 3–4) Darwin’s student booklist - the text …
… Henry Chemistry 17 2 Vols 8 Vo Sewards memoirs of Darwin 18 1 Vol 8 Vo. Several …
… 3 Abernethy 1822. There is a lightly annotated copy in the Darwin Library–CUL, bound with Abernethy …
… Lister 1826 as an ‘entertaining book’ (see letter to S. E. Darwin, 29 January [1826] ). The …
… 3 vols. London: A. Strahan and T. Cadell; Edinburgh: W. Creech. Bostock, John. 1824–7. An …

Religion

Summary

Design|Personal Belief|Beauty|The Church Perhaps the most notorious realm of controversy over evolution in Darwin's day was religion. The same can be said of the evolution controversy today; however the nature of the disputes and the manner in…

Matches: 12 hits

… the most notorious realm of controversy over evolution in Darwin's day was religion. The same …
… nineteenth century were different in important ways. Many of Darwin's leading supporters were …
… their religious beliefs with evolutionary theory. Darwin's own writing, both in print and …
… much as possible. A number of correspondents tried to draw Darwin out on his own religious views, …
… political contexts. Design Darwin was not the first to challenge …
… on the controversial topic of design. The first is between Darwin and Harvard botanist Asa Gray, …
… second is a single letter from naturalist A. R. Wallace to Darwin on design and natural selection. …
… of each fragment at the base of my precipice”. Darwin and Wallace Letter 5140 …
… Letter 5307 — Darwin, C. R. to Boole, M. E., 14 Dec 1866 Darwin believes he is unable to …
… Letter 8070 — Darwin, C. R. to Abbot, F. E., 16 Nov [1871] Darwin explains why he must …
… Letter 12041 — Darwin, C. R. to Fordyce, John, 7 May 1879 In this letter marked “private”, …
… Letter 1536 — Darwin, C. R. to Lubbock, J. W. (b), 11 Oct [1853] Darwin gives his opinion to …

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: 19 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.’ Darwin’s 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. Darwin’s 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 Darwin’s scientific work, and that Darwin …
… memory in November 1880 and in an abusive letter about Darwin in the St James’s 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 …
… decided to print ‘500 more, making 2000’ ( letter to H. E. Litchfield, 4 January 1881 ). Unlike …
… & very surprising the whole case is to me’ (letters to W. E. Darwin, 31 January [1881] and …
… suggestions of such plants, especially annuals ( letter to W. T. Thiselton-Dyer, 21 March [1881] ) …
… with you’, a Swedish teacher told him ( letter from C. E. Södling, 14 October 1881 ), while H. M. …
… little, to the general stock of knowledge’ ( letter to E. W. Bok, 10 May 1881 ). Josef Popper, an …
… of the nature & capabilities of the Fuegians’ ( letter to W. P. Snow, 22 November 1881 ). …
… ‘not absurd for one with no pretensions’ (l etter from W. E. Darwin, 13 January [1881 ]), Darwin …
… after expressing their wish to visit Darwin ( letter from E. B. Aveling, 27 September [1881] ). …
… Leopold Würtenberger, who had received £100 from Darwin in 1879 to continue his work on the …

People featured in the Dutch photograph album

Summary

Here is a list of people that appeared in the photograph album Darwin received for his birthday on 12 February 1877 from scientific admirers in the Netherlands. Many thanks to Hester Loeff for identifying and researching them. No. …

Matches: 5 hits

… list of people that appeared in the photograph album Darwin received for his birthday on 12 …
… 20 june 1854 Middelburg 13 october 1879 Groningen 8 …
… 16 july 1815 Rotterdam 28 february 1879 Vucht 102 …
… Arnhem 7 june 1834 23 december 1879 Arnhem 117 …
… 21 september 1849 Den Bosch 13 oktober 1879 Groningen …

People featured in the Dutch photograph album

Summary

List of people appearing in the photograph album Darwin received from scientific admirers in the Netherlands for his birthday on 12 February 1877. We are grateful to Hester Loeff for providing this list and for permission to make her research available.…

Matches: 7 hits

… List of people appearing in the photograph album Darwin received from scientific admirers in …
… 20 June 1854 Middelburg 13 October 1879 Groningen Feminist and …
… Died just a few months after the album was sent to Charles Darwin at the age of 53 …
… Geologist, Economist an Darwinist. Corresponded with Darwin and translated The descent of Man in …
… 16 July 1815 Rotterdam 28 February 1879 Vucht He was Med. Dr. …
… Arnhem 7 June 1834 23 December 1879 Arnhem https://www …
… 21 September 1849 Den Bosch 13 October 1879 Groningen Partner of …

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: 23 hits

… In April 1838, Darwin began recording the titles of books he had read and the books he wished …
… used these notebooks extensively in dating and annotating Darwin’s letters; the full transcript …
… *128). For clarity, the transcript does not record Darwin’s alterations. The spelling and …
… book had been consulted. Those cases where it appears that Darwin made a genuine deletion have been …
… a few instances, primarily in the ‘Books Read’ sections, Darwin recorded that a work had been …
… of the books listed in the other two notebooks. Sometimes Darwin recorded that an abstract of the …
… own. Soon after beginning his first reading notebook, Darwin began to separate the scientific …
… the second reading notebook. Readers primarily interested in Darwin’s scientific reading, therefore, …
… editors’ identification of the book or article to which Darwin refers. A full list of these works is …
… the University of Cambridge. These works, catalogued by H. W. Rutherford ( Catalogue of the library …
… Prichard; a 3 d . vol [Prichard 1836–47] Lawrence [W. Lawrence 1819] read Bory S t …
… 1822] Falconers remark on the influence of climate [W. Falconer 1781] [DAR *119: 2v. …
… 1819]. see p. 17 Note Book C. for reference to authors about E. Indian Islands 8 consult D r …
… [Dampier 1697] Sportsman’s repository 4 to . [W. H. Scott 1820]— contains much on dogs …
… of variation in animals in the different isl ds of E Indian Archipelago— [DAR *119: 6v.] …
… [DAR *119: 8v.] A history of British Birds by W. Macgillivray [W. Macgillivray 1837–52].— I …
… The Highlands & Western Isl ds letter to Sir W Scott [MacCulloch 1824] at Maer? W. F. …
… 2 vols. 8vo. avec 2 atlas 4to. ibid, 1818–23. £1 2 s [E. Geoffroy Saint-Hilaire 1818–23] …
… said to be Poor Sir. J. Edwards Botanical Tour [?J. E. Smith 1793] Fabricius (very old …
… at Maer.— Lives of Kepler & Galileo. Drinkwater [J. E. Drinkwater] 1833]— Prof. …
… on Aurochs [Weissenborn 1838] Smiths grammar [J. E. Smith 1821] & introduct of Botany [J. …
… (read) G. St. Hilaire Progress de un Naturalist [E. Geoffroy Saint-Hilaire 1835] (Gerard …
… 9 CD did not follow his own advice. In 1879 , he stated that he had unbounded respect for …

Discussion Questions and Essay Questions

Summary

There are a wide range of possibilities for opening discussion and essay writing on Darwin’s correspondence. We have provided a set of sample discussion questions and essay questions, each of which focuses on a particular topic or correspondent in depth.…

Matches: 11 hits

… of possibilities for opening discussion and essay writing on Darwin’s correspondence. We have …
… start researching and writing an essay that centres on Darwin’s letters, narrowing the field to a …
… Why was correspondence so important for Darwin? How did Darwin encourage people he did not …
… material did letters contain? How much knowledge does Darwin assume when he writes to …
… and class, matter in scientific exchange? What does Darwin do when he wants to introduce a …
… internet today? Essay writing How was Darwin’s early species theory discussed …
… What ethical implications did readers draw from Darwin’s theories?[Mary Boole (1864), F. E. Abbot …
… on inheritance theory (pangenesis) (1870-1)] How did Darwin involve his family in his research …
… Gray (1861-8), Wallace (1869-70), Mivart (1871-4)] Did Darwin believe in progress? [Lyell …
… natural world conducted? [F. J. Wedgwood, Asa Gray, J. F. W. Herschel, Charles Lyell (c. 1860--1)] …
… 1868, W. Reade, 1870-1) As a product of natural selection, e.g. coloured seeds and fruit (Fritz …

Hermann Müller

Summary

Hermann (Heinrich Ludwig Hermann) Müller, was born in Mühlberg near Erfurt in 1829. He was the younger brother of Fritz Müller (1822–97). Following the completion of his secondary education at Erfurt in 1848, he studied natural sciences at Halle and Berlin…

Matches: 8 hits

… Fritz’s recommendation, he read the German translation of Darwin’s On the origin of species , and …
… an article, ‘Thatsachen der Laubmooskunde für Darwin’ (Facts from the science of mosses for Darwin) …
… his plans to study Westphalian orchids, inspired both by Darwin’s work on orchids and observations …
… of orchids. Müller did not merely repeat Darwin’s observations, but began looking at the ways …
… visitors from gaining access. In October 1867, Müller sent Darwin a letter describing his …
… flowers by means of insects and their mutual adaptations). Darwin could not wait to finish the book …
… ordered a copy to be sent to the Royal Society of London. Darwin was instrumental in getting a …
… fought against this restriction, with a work published in 1879 promoting the value of presenting …

Fool's experiments

Summary

‘I love fools' experiments. I am always making them’, was one of the most interesting things the zoologist E. Ray Lankester ever heard Darwin say. ‘A great deal might be written as comment on that statement’, Lankester later recorded, but he limited…

Matches: 22 hits

… was one of the most interesting things the zoologist E. Ray Lankester ever heard Darwin say. ‘A …
… the dark into great discoveries.’ [1] What were Darwin’s ‘fools’ experiments’ and did they …
… great discoveries’? The fool’s experiment that Darwin had described to Lankester involved …
… see whether one would act in any way upon the other. [2] Darwin could hardly have expected that …
… surprised by nature typified his fool’s experiments. While Darwin was cautious about speculation, he …
… knowledge that might be limited in some way. Darwin’s fool’s experiments, however, were more …
… or mysterious aspects of the natural world and were, for Darwin, a form of wishful thinking. When …
… some tropical mosses for his experiments. In 1878, Darwin, deep into his investigation of the …
… those of the Polish botanist Theophil Ciesielski. Darwin wondered whether hot and dry radicles might …
… before proceeding to more complex explanations guided Darwin’s experimental practice in this case. …
… on etiolated leaves—but they would not turn white. ’ Darwin was delighted to hear that ‘ Sachs …
… the results of many fool’s experiments were negative, Darwin’s enthusiasm for them did not wane. …
… of silk. While not labelling this a fool’s experiment, Darwin did admit that in the ‘ eyes of all …
… Hannay’s attempts to produce artificial diamonds in 1881, Darwin suggested a modification to the …
… of the carbon for diamonds in their natural place. ’ Darwin had long wished ‘ that some one w d …
… ‘ side-result ’ had emerged from a fool’s experiment Darwin carried out in June 1842. While …
… he had ‘ planted ’ in 1842. Unexpectedly, it was Darwin’s three-year old son William, whose early …
… meant that the record of the experiment ended up not in Darwin’s accounts of bees but in the …
… (DAR 210.11: 37). One of those children, Francis Darwin, when recalling Darwin’s love of …
… the problem of free will and determinism.’ This involved Darwin following the pattern of many other …
… a creative act, or by inspiration.”’ [3] Darwin also engaged in empathetic …
… love a wild experiment. ’ [1] E. R. Lankester. 'Charles Robert Darwin& …

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Darwin Correspondence Project

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