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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: 7 hits
- … find an ordinary mortal who could laugh’ ( letter from W. E. Darwin to Charles and Emma Darwin, 22 …
- … Butler, 3 January 1880 ). At the top of Butler’s letter, Emma Darwin wrote: ‘it means war we think’ …
- … my excitement’ ( letter from Horace Darwin to Emma Darwin, [18 September 1880] ). Darwin’s …
- … …“Come of Age”‘ ( letter from W. C. Williamson to Emma Darwin, 2 September 1880 ). In April, …
- … year was marked by the loss of several close family members. Emma’s brother Josiah Wedgwood III died …
- … Surrey, which became a regular destination for Charles and Emma, and also a site of scientific …
- … and spent extended periods with Henrietta and Richard Litchfield in London. The children returned …
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,…
Henrietta Darwin's diary
Summary
Darwin's daughter Henrietta kept a diary for a few momentous weeks in 1871. This was the year in which Descent of Man, the most controversial of her father's books after Origin itself, appeared, a book which she had helped him write. The small…
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: 6 hits
- … satisfaction. Assisted in the wording by his wife, Emma, and daughter Henrietta, he finally wrote a …
- … a comfortable cabin ( see letter from Leonard Darwin to Emma Darwin, [after 26 June -- 28 September …
- … to become Darwin’s secretary. They rented Down Lodge and Emma Darwin wrote, ‘They have . . . made …
- … the average in prettiness & snugness’ ( letter from Emma Darwin to J. B. Innes, 12 October …
- … letter to Down School Board, [after 29 November 1873] ). Emma saw a ‘great blessing’ in the rumour …
- … dead uncle’s position of vicar of Deptford ( letter from Emma Darwin to J. B. Innes, 12 October …
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: 11 hits
- … selection is somewhat under a cloud’, he wrote to J. E. Taylor on 13 January , and he complained …
- … the theories of natural and sexual selection to bees (H. Müller 1872), and with his reply Darwin …
- … for myself it is dreadful doing nothing’ ( letter to T. H. Huxley, 22 October [1872] ). He was far …
- … origins of music provided by her husband, Richard Buckley Litchfield ( letter to H. E. Litchfield, …
- … 'I know that I am half-killed myself’ ( letter to H. E. Litchfield, 25 July 1872 ). A …
- … a week later ( enclosure to letter from John Lubbock to W. E. Gladstone, 20 June 1872 ). Darwin …
- … Charlton Bastian’s recent book on the origin of life (H. C. Bastian 1872; Wallace 1872d) left him …
- … to contain wormcasts from India. Darwin’s niece Lucy Wedgwood, who had started her observations the …
- … pleasant letters & never answer them’ ( letter to T. H. Huxley, 22 October [1872] ). But not …
- … than usual. One such old friend was Sarah Haliburton, née Owen, to whose sister, Fanny, Darwin had …
- … out such a litany of ill health to one correspondent that Emma protested: `My wife commands me to …
Darwin in letters, 1871: An emptying nest
Summary
The year 1871 was an extremely busy and productive one for Darwin, with the publication in February of his long-awaited book on human evolution, Descent of man. The other main preoccupation of the year was the preparation of his manuscript on expression.…
Darwin in letters, 1882: Nothing too great or too small
Summary
In 1882, Darwin reached his 74th year Earthworms had been published the previous October, and for the first time in decades he was not working on another book. He remained active in botanical research, however. Building on his recent studies in plant…
Matches: 9 hits
- … and was no longer able to take his daily strolls (Henrietta Emma Litchfield, ‘Charles Darwin’s death …
- … he is a good deal depressed about himself’ (letter from H. E. Litchfield to G. H. Darwin, 17 March …
- … been a good deal plagued with dull aching in the chest’ (Emma Darwin to G. H. Darwin, [ c . 28 …
- … benefit & he escaped pain entirely yesterday’ (letter from Emma Darwin to G. H. Darwin, 6 April …
- … wrote to George, who had visited Down on 11 April (Emma Darwin’s diary (DAR 242)). ‘Father was taken …
- … is very calm but she has cried a little’ (letter from H. E. Litchfield to G. H. Darwin, [19 April …
- … which I hope were never very violent’ ( letter from Emma Darwin to J. D. Hooker, [20 April 1882 …
- … they were the most overflowing in tenderness’ (letter from Emma Darwin to W. E. Darwin, 10 May 1882 …
- … plied him with questions without any mercy’ ( letter from Emma Wedgwood to F. E. E. Wedgwood, [28 …
Darwin and vivisection
Summary
Darwin played an important role in the controversy over vivisection that broke out in late 1874. Public debate was sparked when the Royal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals brought an unsuccessful prosecution against a French physiologist who…
Matches: 15 hits
- … on Virchow for experimenting on the Trichinae’ (letter to H. E. Litchfield, 4 January [1875] ). …
- … physiologists to present their own petition (letter to T. H. Huxley, 14 January 1875 ). In …
- … subscriber to the RSPCA, he had campaigned with his wife Emma against the use of steel traps on game …
- … prospect of animals suffering for science. In a letter to E. Ray Lankester, he wrote: ‘You ask about …
- … not sleep to-night’ ( Correspondence vol. 19, letter to E. R. Lankester, 22 March [1871] ). In …
- … Darwin’s brother, Erasmus, and his cousin Hensleigh Wedgwood. After Darwin refused to sign Cobbe’s …
- … (men of course) or I might get one or two’ (letter from Emma Darwin to F. P. Cobbe, 14 January …
- … after night, prepares and sets instruments of torture’ ( Emma Darwin (1904) 2: 201). …
- … who produced a new sketch for a petition (letter from T. H. Huxley, [4 April 1875] ). This was …
- … of Lushington and Darwin’s son-in-law Richard Buckley Litchfield. On 11 April, Darwin learned …
- … to Down, however, it was decided to draft a formal bill. Litchfield drew up a sketch that was …
- … ‘we wd do whatever else you think best’ (letter to E. H. Stanley, 15 April 1875 ). After further …
- … of the documents contain marginal notes and revisions in Litchfield’s hand. The changes made to the …
- … for each offence. This version also contained notes in Litchfield’s hand for an alternative title …
- … expressed their dismay at this alteration (letter from T. H. Huxley, 19 May 1875 , letter from J. …
Darwin’s observations on his children
Summary
Charles Darwin’s observations on the development of his children, began the research that culminated in his book The Expression of the emotions in man and animals, published in 1872, and his article ‘A biographical sketch of an infant’, published in Mind…
Matches: 24 hits
- … an aspect of Darwin’s character clearly perceived by Emma during their engagement: ‘You will be …
- … period but in far less detail. By September 1844, Henrietta Emma was one year old, and there are a …
- … 1850; and Horace, born 18 May 1851. It appears to have been Emma who resumed the observations on the …
- … the notebook and, with the exception of two brief entries by Emma, made all the notes until July …
- … certainly during first fortnight at sudden sounds. & at Emma’s moving 3 [11] When …
- … & inwards as in sleep.[14] Six weeks old & 3 days, Emma saw him smile—not only with …
- … his eyes becoming fixed & the movements of his arms ceasing. Emma argues that his smiles were …
- … made in the little noises he was uttering that he recognized Emma by sight when she came close to …
- … been caused by the novelty of the situation producing fear. Emma thinks that when he was vaccinated …
- … whole expression appearing pleased.— Recognizes Emma Anne & myself perfectly— does not find …
- … Lady” were repeated.— 26 th . Cried, when Emma left off playing the pianoforte.— Did this …
- … Anny says Papa pretty clearly—[40] A few days ago Emma gave her doll, but she sensibly shuddered, …
- … to play with in farther part of room, she immediately led Emma by the hand towards the tea-chest. I …
- … on quite suddenly.—[43] On the 13 th . of March Emma positively ascertained that what the …
- … things & when choleric he will hurl books or sticks at Emma. About a month since; he was running …
- … “oh kind Doddy” “kind Doddy”— April 2 d . Emma had left her handkerchief on the other side …
- … th ——42. Willy’s observation on dress very curious: Emma put on a pair of boots, which she had not …
- … the first day I put on a new dull-coloured trowsers. Emma one morning put on an unconspicuous bonnet …
- … & then gave him a kiss.— Nov. /54/ Whenever Emma or I came home from a journey, Lenny has …
- … 131–2. [6] Correspondence vol. 2, letter from Emma Wedgwood, [23 January 1839] . …
- … and comments section. [10] William Erasmus was Emma and CD’s first child. [11] The …
- … [15] ‘Annie . . . fortnight’ was written by Emma Darwin on the verso of page 3 and opposite the …
- … later; Anne Elizabeth was born in 1841 and Henrietta Emma in 1843. Mrs Locke was probably the …
- … evangelical stories and tracts. In her old age, Henrietta Litchfield noted that ‘Little Robert & …
Darwin in letters, 1876: In the midst of life
Summary
1876 was the year in which the Darwins became grandparents for the first time. And tragically lost their daughter-in-law, Amy, who died just days after her son's birth. All the letters from 1876 are now published in volume 24 of The Correspondence…
Matches: 7 hits
- … life in Down House measured by the ongoing tally of his and Emma’s backgammon games. ‘I have won, …
- … was never far away in the Darwin family. In April, while Emma was suffering from a feverish cold, …
- … associated with a happy event. On 7 September, Charles and Emma became grandparents for the first …
- … August to be with her daughter at the time of the birth, and Emma was unimpressed by her. ‘The more …
- … word she says’, she confided to Henrietta (letter from Emma Darwin to H. E. Litchfield, [31 August …
- … of Darwin’s recently completed autobiography (letter from Emma Darwin to W. E. Darwin, [13 September …
- … & his wife (very pleasing) & a Prof. Romer came to lunch’, Emma Darwin reported to Leonard …
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
- … George Sketchley Ffinden resurfaced. In 1873, Charles and Emma Darwin and the Lubbocks had sought …
- … and the Darwins did not warm thereafter. On 24 December , Emma wrote triumphantly to the former …
- … the upper ranks of society could be especially taxing. As Emma remarked in a letter to William on 1 …
- … Henry Eeles Dresser. ‘The horror was great’, Henrietta Emma Litchfield wrote to her brother Leonard …
