To John Lubbock 16 [March 1859]
Summary
Wants JL’s opinion on paper by L. J. M. Dufour ["Études anatomiques sur les insectes diptères de la famille des pupipares", C. R. Hebd. Acad. Sci. 19 (1844): 1345–55].
Author: | Charles Robert Darwin |
Addressee: | John Lubbock, 4th baronet and 1st Baron Avebury |
Date: | 16 [Mar 1859] |
Classmark: | DAR 263: 28 (EH 88206477) |
Letter no: | DCP-LETT-2434 |
To W. D. Fox 24 [March 1859]
Summary
Is correcting chapters [of Origin] for press.
Health has been wretched of late.
He values fame to a certain extent, but "if I know myself, I work from a sort of instinct to try to make out truth".
Author: | Charles Robert Darwin |
Addressee: | William Darwin Fox |
Date: | 24 [Mar 1859] |
Classmark: | Christ’s College Library, Cambridge (MS 53 Fox 120) |
Letter no: | DCP-LETT-2436 |
To Charles Lyell 28 March [1859]
Summary
Has heard that CL has spoken to John Murray about publication [of Origin]. Encloses prospective title-page. Asks whether he ought to tell John Murray about unorthodoxy of the book.
Author: | Charles Robert Darwin |
Addressee: | Charles Lyell, 1st baronet |
Date: | 28 Mar [1859] |
Classmark: | American Philosophical Society (Mss.B.D25.163) |
Letter no: | DCP-LETT-2437 |
To J. S. Bowerbank 29 March [1859]
Summary
Requests receipt for payments to Society in 1858–9.
Author: | Charles Robert Darwin |
Addressee: | James Scott Bowerbank |
Date: | 29 Mar [1859] |
Classmark: | Smithsonian Libraries and Archives (Dibner Library of the History of Science and Technology MSS 405 A. Gift of the Burndy Library) |
Letter no: | DCP-LETT-2438 |
To Charles Lyell 30 March [1859]
Summary
CD is grateful to CL for his help in arranging with Murray for publication [of Origin]. Sorry Murray objects to term "abstract" in title, but will defer to him and CL.
Author: | Charles Robert Darwin |
Addressee: | Charles Lyell, 1st baronet |
Date: | 30 Mar [1859] |
Classmark: | American Philosophical Society (Mss.B.D25.164) |
Letter no: | DCP-LETT-2439 |
To J. D. Hooker 30 March [1859]
Summary
Hopes Murray will publish after seeing MS [of Origin].
Demurs at JDH’s saying that CD changes climate to account for migration of bugs, flies, etc. "We do nothing of the sort; for we rest on scored rocks, old moraines, arctic shells, and mammifers." Has given up the Lyellian doctrine as insufficient to explain all changes in climate; CD has no theory about the cause of the cold.
Author: | Charles Robert Darwin |
Addressee: | Joseph Dalton Hooker |
Date: | 30 Mar [1859] |
Classmark: | DAR 115: 94 |
Letter no: | DCP-LETT-2440 |
To John Murray 31 March [1859]
Summary
CD has heard from Lyell that JM is inclined to publish his work on the origin of species. Will send some chapters as soon as copyist has finished. Sends list of 12 chapters. It will be a popular abstract of more than 20 years’ work. It ought to be popular with scientific and semi-scientific readers.
Author: | Charles Robert Darwin |
Addressee: | John Murray |
Date: | 31 Mar [1859] |
Classmark: | National Library of Scotland (John Murray Archive) (Ms.42153 ff.12–13) |
Letter no: | DCP-LETT-2441 |
To W. E. Darwin [5 May 1859]
Author: | Charles Robert Darwin |
Addressee: | William Erasmus Darwin |
Date: | [5 May 1859] |
Classmark: | DAR 210.6: 43 |
Letter no: | DCP-LETT-2442 |
From John Murray 1 April 1859
Summary
On the strength of CD’s details about his work on species and his knowledge of CD’s former publications, JM offers to publish [Origin] without seeing the MS.
Author: | John Murray |
Addressee: | Charles Robert Darwin |
Date: | 1 Apr 1859 |
Classmark: | National Library of Scotland (John Murray Archive) (Ms. 41913 p.32) |
Letter no: | DCP-LETT-2443 |
From J. D. Hooker [8–11 April 1859]
Summary
Lyell has been strongly urging John Murray to publish CD’s book [Origin]. JDH feels Lyell overestimates the public interest in such works.
Gives examples of plants showing most marked varieties on the edge of their range.
Author: | Joseph Dalton Hooker |
Addressee: | Charles Robert Darwin |
Date: | [8–11 Apr 1859] |
Classmark: | DAR 100: 127 |
Letter no: | DCP-LETT-2444 |
To John Murray 2 April [1859]
Summary
Accepts JM’s terms for publication of Origin. If, on reading the MS, JM thinks it will not sell, CD frees him from the offer. Will send chapters soon so he can judge. Though some parts are dry and abstruse, CD thinks it will be interesting to "those who care for the curious problem of the origin of all animate forms".
Author: | Charles Robert Darwin |
Addressee: | John Murray |
Date: | 2 Apr [1859] |
Classmark: | National Library of Scotland (John Murray Archive) (Ms.42153 ff.18–19) |
Letter no: | DCP-LETT-2445 |
To J. D. Hooker 2 April [1859]
Summary
Thanks for letter of caution about Murray. He has offered to publish without seeing MS. CD thinks book will be popular to a certain extent. Lyell’s inducing Murray to publish Origin grates CD’s pride.
Author: | Charles Robert Darwin |
Addressee: | Joseph Dalton Hooker |
Date: | 2 Apr [1859] |
Classmark: | DAR 115: 9 |
Letter no: | DCP-LETT-2446 |
To John Murray 5 April [1859]
Summary
Sends title and first three chapters [of Origin]. Thinks first chapter will interest the public and is sure views are original. If JM thinks otherwise, he should freely reject the work. Chapter 2 is dull and abstruse, chapter 3 is plain and interesting.
Author: | Charles Robert Darwin |
Addressee: | John Murray |
Date: | 5 Apr [1859] |
Classmark: | National Library of Scotland (John Murray Archive) (Ms.42152 ff.35–35A) |
Letter no: | DCP-LETT-2447 |
To A. R. Wallace 6 April 1859
Summary
First part of Origin MS is with Murray;
CD hopes he has noticed ARW’s work fairly.
ARW is right in thinking that CD was led to believe that selection was the principle of change from studying domesticated productions and that after reading Malthus he "saw at once how to apply this principle". Geographical distribution and geological relations of extinct and recent inhabitants of S. America first led him to the subject, "Especially case of Galapagos Islds". Hooker and Lubbock are full converts and Huxley now believes in species mutation. "We shall live to see all the younger men converts."
Praises ARW’s work and spirit.
CD had actually written a letter to ARW stating he would not publish before him but was persuaded by Lyell and Hooker to allow them to act "as they thought fair & honourably".
Author: | Charles Robert Darwin |
Addressee: | Alfred Russel Wallace |
Date: | 6 Apr 1859 |
Classmark: | The British Library (Add MS 46434) |
Letter no: | DCP-LETT-2449 |
To J. D. Hooker 7 April [1859]
Summary
Has read first sheets of JDH’s Flora Tasmaniae [introductory] essay [published separately as On the flora of Australia (1859)]. Criticises lack of evidence supporting views that best marked varieties occur at edges of range of species and that species remain under cultivation for many generations and suddenly begin to vary.
Author: | Charles Robert Darwin |
Addressee: | Joseph Dalton Hooker |
Date: | 7 Apr [1859] |
Classmark: | DAR 115: 10 |
Letter no: | DCP-LETT-2450 |
To W. B. Tegetmeier 9 April [1859]
Summary
Thanks WBT for his help with poultry
and informs him about his forthcoming work [Origin].
Author: | Charles Robert Darwin |
Addressee: | William Bernhard Tegetmeier |
Date: | 9 Apr [1859] |
Classmark: | Natural History Museum, Library and Archives (tipped into W. B. Tegetmeier’s presentation copy of Origin (DC BD 309); General Special Collections DC AL 1/6) |
Letter no: | DCP-LETT-2450A |
To W. D. Fox 10 April [1859]
Summary
Sympathises with family on death of WDF’s mother [Anne Fox née Darwin].
Sends details of fees at Moor Park hydropathic establishment.
Author: | Charles Robert Darwin |
Addressee: | William Darwin Fox |
Date: | 10 Apr [1859] |
Classmark: | Christ’s College Library, Cambridge (MS 53 Fox 121) |
Letter no: | DCP-LETT-2451 |
To J. D. Hooker 11 April [1859]
Author: | Charles Robert Darwin |
Addressee: | Joseph Dalton Hooker |
Date: | 11 Apr [1859] |
Classmark: | DAR 115: 11 |
Letter no: | DCP-LETT-2452 |
To J. D. Hooker 12 [April 1859]
Summary
CD agrees cultivated plants may begin to vary after some time and then may vary suddenly, but cautions JDH on lack of evidence. His explanation is that small variations are ignored until they accumulate.
Author: | Charles Robert Darwin |
Addressee: | Joseph Dalton Hooker |
Date: | 12 [Apr 1859] |
Classmark: | DAR 115: 12 |
Letter no: | DCP-LETT-2453 |
CD memorandum 24 April 1859
Author: | Charles Robert Darwin |
Addressee: | Unidentified |
Date: | 24 Apr 1859 |
Classmark: | DAR 206 (Letters) |
Letter no: | DCP-LETT-2454 |
letter | (242) |
Darwin, C. R. | (199) |
Lyell, Charles | (8) |
Hooker, J. D. | (6) |
Darwin, E. A. | (2) |
Hill, Richard | (2) |
Darwin, C. R. | (40) |
Hooker, J. D. | (34) |
Murray, John (b) | (26) |
Lyell, Charles | (23) |
Huxley, T. H. | (16) |
Darwin, C. R. | (239) |
Hooker, J. D. | (40) |
Lyell, Charles | (31) |
Murray, John (b) | (28) |
Huxley, T. H. | (18) |