From G. H. Lewes 12 November 1868
Summary
Disappointed that he missed CD. Hopes still to see him in the flesh.
Has CD seen August Weismann’s inaugural address [see 6297]?
Author: | George Henry Lewes |
Addressee: | Charles Robert Darwin |
Date: | 12 Nov 1868 |
Classmark: | DAR 106: D11–12 |
Letter no: | DCP-LETT-6458 |
Matches: 5 hits
- … From G. H. Lewes 12 November 1868 …
- … DAR 106: D11–12 George Henry Lewes …
- … London, Regents Park 12 Nov 1868 Charles Robert Darwin …
- … The Priory, | 21. North Bank, | Regents Park. 12 Nov r 1868 My dear M r Darwin It was a …
- … the last German war’, that appeared in the 12 October 1791 issue of the Bee, or Literary …
To Rolla Charles Meadows Rouse [after 12 March 1868]
Author: | Charles Robert Darwin |
Addressee: | Rolla Charles Meadows Rouse |
Date: | [after 12 Mar 1868] |
Classmark: | DAR 96: 39-40 |
Letter no: | DCP-LETT-5962 |
Matches: 6 hits
- … To Rolla Charles Meadows Rouse [after 12 March 1868] …
- … 96: 39-40 Charles Robert Darwin unstated [after 12 Mar 1868] Rolla Charles Meadows Rouse …
- … Edited by James A. H. Murray, et al. 12 vols. and supplement. Oxford: Clarendon Press. …
- … this letter and the letter from Alfred Wrigley, 12 March 1868 . According to Emma Darwin’s …
- … left home on 29 April 1868. In his letter of 12 March 1868 , Wrigley had indicated that he …
- … had been ill for much of the period from 1862 to 1864 (see Correspondence vols. 10–12). …
To Alfred Wrigley [after 12 March 1868]
Summary
Assures AW he has not hurt Horace’s feelings. CD has always been doubtful about a private tutor for Horace. Fears a letter [giving notice of removal] was lost in the post.
Author: | Charles Robert Darwin |
Addressee: | Alfred Wrigley |
Date: | [after 12 Mar 1868] |
Classmark: | DAR 181: 182v |
Letter no: | DCP-LETT-6008 |
Matches: 4 hits
- … To Alfred Wrigley [after 12 March 1868] …
- … 182v Charles Robert Darwin London, Chester Place, 4 [after 12 Mar 1868] Alfred Wrigley …
- … letter and the letter from Alfred Wrigley, 12 March 1868 . See letter to Alfred Wrigley, …
- … 1868] . See letter from Alfred Wrigley, 12 March 1868 . CD refers to Horace Darwin . CD …
From Alfred Wrigley 12 March 1868
Summary
Had hoped that the intention of removing Horace from school had been abandoned and regrets that it has not.
Author: | Alfred Wrigley |
Addressee: | Charles Robert Darwin |
Date: | 12 Mar 1868 |
Classmark: | DAR 181: 182 |
Letter no: | DCP-LETT-6006 |
To W. D. Fox 12 December [1868]
Summary
Thanks WDF for information about sheep and cattle.
Mentions corrections for new edition of Origin [5th ed. (1869)].
Author: | Charles Robert Darwin |
Addressee: | William Darwin Fox |
Date: | 12 Dec [1868] |
Classmark: | American Philosophical Society (Mss.B.D25.357) |
Letter no: | DCP-LETT-6500 |
From John Murray 12 February [1868]
Summary
CD’s letter encourages Murray to proceed with a new edition of Variation; corrections will cost £176.
First notice has appeared in Pall Mall Gazette [7 (1868): 555].
Author: | John Murray |
Addressee: | Charles Robert Darwin |
Date: | 12 Feb [1868] |
Classmark: | DAR 171 : 355 |
Letter no: | DCP-LETT-5869 |
To Richard Kippist 12 May [1868?]
Summary
Returns volumes of the Ibis.
Requests T. C. Jerdon’s Birds of India
and Thomas Bell’s British reptiles
as well as vols. 5 & 6 of Ibis.
Author: | Charles Robert Darwin |
Addressee: | Richard Kippist |
Date: | 12 May [1868?] |
Classmark: | Linnean Society of London (Fellows Files No. 18) |
Letter no: | DCP-LETT-6169A |
To Francis Trevelyan Buckland 12 February [1868]
Summary
CD is much interested in FB’s remarks in Land and Water on the apparent excess of male trout over females and asks for further information on other fish, birds, and domestic quadrupeds.
Author: | Charles Robert Darwin |
Addressee: | Francis Trevelyan (Frank) Buckland |
Date: | 12 Feb [1868] |
Classmark: | American Philosophical Society (Mss.B.D25.) |
Letter no: | DCP-LETT-5866 |
From W. S. Dallas 12 October 1868
Summary
Will finish translation of Für Darwin in a week.
Asks CD to use his influence to get him appointed Assistant Secretary of the Geological Society [London].
Author: | William Sweetland Dallas |
Addressee: | Charles Robert Darwin |
Date: | 12 Oct 1868 |
Classmark: | DAR 162: 23 |
Letter no: | DCP-LETT-6417 |
From Charles Owen Waterhouse 12 February 1868
Author: | Charles Owen Waterhouse |
Addressee: | Charles Robert Darwin |
Date: | 12 Feb 1868 |
Classmark: | DAR 82: A74–5 |
Letter no: | DCP-LETT-5870 |
Matches: 4 hits
- … From Charles Owen Waterhouse 12 February 1868 …
- … DAR 82: A74–5 Charles Owen Waterhouse British Museum 12 Feb 1868 Charles Robert Darwin …
- … British Museum, Feb. 12 th . 1868. Dear Sir, I received your letter of yesterday in the …
- … and other insects ( Correspondence vols. 6–10, 12), and is cited in Descent. CD concluded …
To Roland Trimen 12 February [1868]
Summary
Is interested in the relative numbers of males and females of all animals; wants any instances of males, or females, being in excess.
Author: | Charles Robert Darwin |
Addressee: | Roland Trimen |
Date: | 12 Feb [1868] |
Classmark: | Royal Entomological Society (Trimen papers, box 21: 64) |
Letter no: | DCP-LETT-5867 |
From T. H. Huxley 12 September 1868
Summary
BAAS Norwich meeting. Hooker [President] came out in great force. "Darwinismus" spread over the sections and crept into everything. CD will have rare happiness of seeing his ideas triumph during his life.
Author: | Thomas Henry Huxley |
Addressee: | Charles Robert Darwin |
Date: | 12 Sept 1868 |
Classmark: | DAR 166: 314 |
Letter no: | DCP-LETT-6363 |
From J. B. Innes 12 December 1868
Summary
Will try to get more information about the supposed hybrid [of cow and deer].
The rumours about John Robinson [curate of Down] cause JBI concern. He will seek to get the facts – will try to protect Robinson against malicious rumours, but if he is immoral he must go forthwith.
Author: | John Brodie Innes |
Addressee: | Charles Robert Darwin |
Date: | 12 Dec 1868 |
Classmark: | DAR 167: 22 |
Letter no: | DCP-LETT-6501 |
From C. M. Hawkshaw to Emma Darwin 12 April 1868
Summary
Observations on expression in her baby daughter.
Author: | Cicely Mary Wedgwood; Cicely Mary Hawkshaw |
Addressee: | Emma Wedgwood; Emma Darwin |
Date: | 12 Apr 1868 |
Classmark: | DAR 166: 122 |
Letter no: | DCP-LETT-6112 |
From J. D. Hooker 12 July [1868]
Summary
Sketches out subjects he intends to speak on at Norwich [BAAS meeting]: museums, CD’s work in botany, Pangenesis, early history of mankind.
Asks about CD’s "book on man" [Descent].
Author: | Joseph Dalton Hooker |
Addressee: | Charles Robert Darwin |
Date: | 12 July [1868] |
Classmark: | DAR 102: 220–1 |
Letter no: | DCP-LETT-6272 |
Matches: 4 hits
From Henry Doubleday 28 March 1868
Summary
On the proportion of sexes in moths; Lepidoptera females command higher prices; quotes Staudinger’s catalogue [see Descent 1: 311–12].
Ticking of Anobium tessellatum [see Descent 1: 385].
Author: | Henry Doubleday |
Addressee: | Charles Robert Darwin |
Date: | 28 Mar 1868 |
Classmark: | DAR 82: A11–12, DAR 86: A94 |
Letter no: | DCP-LETT-6064 |
Matches: 4 hits
- … DAR 82: A11–12, DAR 86: A94 Henry Doubleday Epping 28 Mar 1868 Charles Robert Darwin …
- … quotes Staudinger’s catalogue [see Descent 1: 311–12]. Ticking of Anobium tessellatum [see …
- … r Staudingers last Catalogue
♂ ♀ Thais Cerisyi 12 : 25 " Rumina 10 : 15 Anthocaris Damone … - … 30 : 50 " Gruneri 20 : 50 Colias pelidne 12 : 20 Thestor Ballus 5 : 10 and so on with all …
From Sarah Elizabeth Wedgwood to Emma Darwin [30 March – 12 April 1868]
Summary
Observations on the first appearance of tears in a baby.
Author: | Sarah Elizabeth (Elizabeth) Wedgwood |
Addressee: | Emma Wedgwood; Emma Darwin |
Date: | [30 Mar – 12 Apr 1868] |
Classmark: | DAR 181: 70 |
Letter no: | DCP-LETT-5830 |
Matches: 4 hits
- … From Sarah Elizabeth Wedgwood to Emma Darwin [30 March – 12 April 1868] …
- … Elizabeth (Elizabeth) Wedgwood unstated [30 Mar – 12 Apr 1868] Emma Wedgwood/Emma Darwin …
- … ODNB ). In 1868, Easter Sunday was on 12 April. Charles Langton Massingberd , his wife …
- … was Stephen Langton Massingberd , born 12 May 1869 ( Burke’s landed gentry ). Francis …
From John Lubbock 12 February [1868]
Summary
Discusses [Fritz?] Müller’s confusion about ova and pseudova; JL’s Daphnia paper [Philos. Trans. R. Soc. Lond. 147 (1857): 79–100; see 1979] first demonstrated their structural identity.
Points out a misleading statement in Variation.
Author: | John Lubbock, 4th baronet and 1st Baron Avebury |
Addressee: | Charles Robert Darwin |
Date: | 12 Feb [1868] |
Classmark: | DAR 170: 62 |
Letter no: | DCP-LETT-5868 |
From Albert Günther 13 May 1868
Summary
Sends proofs of his fish paper.
Will observe modification of colour in fish.
Is studying the development of the axolotl.
Encloses notes in reply to CD’s queries on fishes.
Author: | Albrecht Carl Ludwig Gotthilf (Albert) Günther |
Addressee: | Charles Robert Darwin |
Date: | 13 May 1868 |
Classmark: | DAR 165: 242a, DAR 82: B23 |
Letter no: | DCP-LETT-6170 |
Matches: 8 hits
- … questions, see the letter to Albert Günther, 12 May [1868] . See letter to Albert Günther, …
- … Salarias are both current genera. See letter to Albert Günther, 12 May [1868] and n. 8. …
- … See letter to Albert Günther, 12 May [1868] and n. 9. …
- … See letter to Albert Günther, 12 May [1868] and n. 10. In Descent 2: 20, CD said that …
- … refers to George Henry Ford . See letter to Albert Günther, 12 May [1868] and n. 4. …
- … See letter to Albert Günther, 12 May [1868] and n. 5. Günther was the founding editor of …
- … 1859–70 . See letter to Albert Günther, 12 May [1868] and n. 6. CD cited the third volume …
- … and an ‘allied genus’ in Descent 2: 12–13. Blennius pholis is a synonym of Lipophrys …
From H. W. Bates 12 March 1868
Summary
Results of his examination of divergence in sexual coloration of tropical American butterflies. [See Descent 1: 389 on Junonia and Papilio.]
Author: | Henry Walter Bates |
Addressee: | Charles Robert Darwin |
Date: | 12 Mar 1868 |
Classmark: | DAR 82: A40–1 |
Letter no: | DCP-LETT-6007 |
letter | (193) |
Darwin, C. R. | (52) |
Hooker, J. D. | (11) |
Blyth, Edward | (7) |
Dallas, W. S. | (7) |
Wallace, A. R. | (7) |
Darwin, C. R. | (133) |
Hooker, J. D. | (8) |
Darwin, Emma | (5) |
Wedgwood, Emma | (5) |
Wallace, A. R. | (4) |
Darwin, C. R. | (185) |
Hooker, J. D. | (19) |
Wallace, A. R. | (11) |
Weir, J. J. | (9) |
Blyth, Edward | (7) |

Lost in translation: From Auguste Forel, 12 November 1874
Summary
You receive a gift from your scientific hero Charles Darwin. It is a book that contains sections on your favourite topic—ants. If only you had paid attention when your mother tried to teach you English you might be able to read it. But you didn’t, and you…
Matches: 1 hits
- … barely understand a word. Writing in French on 12 November 1874 to thank Darwin for the …

Darwin’s hothouse and lists of hothouse plants
Summary
Darwin became increasingly involved in botanical experiments in the years after the publication of Origin. The building of a small hothouse - a heated greenhouse - early in 1863 greatly increased the range of plants that he could keep for scientific…
Matches: 9 hits
- … Correspondence vol. 10, letter to J. D. Hooker, 12 [December 1862] and n. 13). Initially, …
- … Stove [that is, cool hothouse]’ ( Correspondence vol. 12, letter to J. D. Hooker, 26[–7] March …
- … of different temperatures’ (letter to W. C. Tait, 12 and 16 March [1869] , Calendar no. 6661) …
- … 100 yards’ to the greenhouses ( Correspondence vol. 12, letter to J. D. Hooker, [25 January …
- … in mid-February (see letter from L. C. Treviranus, 12 February 1863 ). The second list is …
- … Anoectochilus argenteus 12 5 s . …
- … punctatum. 11. Mormodes aurantiaca 12. ‘Anoectochilus argenteus 5 s .’ deleted in …
- … Bolbophyllum barbigerum 12 major …
- … Ampelidae. 11. Alloplectus chrysanthus. 12. Bulbophyllum barbigerum. 13. …

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: 12 hits
- … Seventy years old Darwin’s seventieth birthday on 12 February was a cause for international …
- … and good as could be’ ( letter from Karl Beger, [ c. 12 February 1879] ). The masters of …
- … ). The botanist and schoolteacher Hermann Müller wrote on 12 February to wish Darwin a ‘long and …
- … well, and with little fatigue’ ( letter to G. H. Darwin, 12 July 1879 , and letter from Leonard …
- … ever about life of D r . D’ ( letter to Francis Darwin, 12 July [1879] ). It was little …
- … Thiselton-Dyer, 5 June 1879 , and letter to G. H. Darwin, 12 July 1879 ). Darwin’s final task …
- … inn ‘ very comfortable’, but told Leonard Darwin on 12 August that there were ‘too many human …
- … not to have come up when the Darwins lunched with him on 12 August (Darwin’s ‘Journal’). Nor did …
- … the world. At the end of the year he was awarded a prize of 12,000 francs by the Turin Academy of …
- … which greatly pleased Darwin ( letter from Grant Allen, 12 February 1879 ). One of Allen’s targets …
- … engagement being made public ( letter from T. H. Farrer, 12 October 1879 ). Darwin’s response not …
- … accurate in its treatment’ ( letter from Francis Galton, 12 November 1879 ). The comment that …

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: 11 hits
- … (letters from George Cupples, 21 February 1874 and 12 March 1874 ); the material was …
- … the Sandwich Islands (Hawaii; letters from T. N. Staley, 12 February 1874 and 20 February 1874 …
- … was published in November 1874 ( letter from R. F. Cooke, 12 November 1874 ). Though containing …
- … print runs would be very good ( letter from R. F. Cooke, 12 November 1874 ). Darwin's …
- … Review & in the same type’ ( letter from John Murray, 12 August 1874 ). George’s letter …
- … he finally wrote a polite, very formal letter to Mivart on 12 January 1875 , refusing to hold any …
- … & snugness’ ( letter from Emma Darwin to J. B. Innes, 12 October [1874] ). More …
- … vicar of Deptford ( letter from Emma Darwin to J. B. Innes, 12 October [1874] ), but to her …
- … mechanism that Darwin agreed with ( letter to F. J. Cohn, 12 October 1874 ). Darwin’s American …
- … bank with enormous tips to his ears ( letter from Asa Gray, 12 May 1874 ). The Manchester …
- … excellent, & as clear as light’ ( letter to John Tyndall, 12 August [1874] ). Hooker …
1.2 George Richmond, marriage portrait
Summary
< Back to Introduction Few likenesses of Darwin in his youth survive, although more may once have existed. In a letter of 1873 an old Shrewsbury friend, Arthur Mostyn Owen, offered to send Darwin a watercolour sketch of him, painted many years…
Matches: 1 hits
- … < Back to Introduction Few likenesses of Darwin in his youth survive, although more …

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: 6 hits
- … made a small omission ’. Stephen’s reply on 12 January was flattering, reassuring, and …
- … books being ‘a game of chance’ ( letter to R. F. Cooke, 12 April 1881 ). On 18 May he described …
- … Darwin had difficulty in obtaining mature plants. On 12 April, he reported to Müller , ‘I have …
- … to make me happy & contented,’ he told Wallace on 12 July , ‘but life has become very …
- … fight’ (letters to J. D. Hooker, 6 August 1881 and 12 August 1881 ). Darwin may have …
- … else’s judgment on the subject ( letter to A. R. Wallace, 12 July 1881 ). However, some requests …

Darwin's in letters, 1873: Animal or vegetable?
Summary
Having laboured for nearly five years on human evolution, sexual selection, and the expression of emotions, Darwin was able to devote 1873 almost exclusively to his beloved plants. He resumed work on the digestive powers of sundews and Venus fly traps, and…
Matches: 3 hits

Darwin in letters, 1862: A multiplicity of experiments
Summary
1862 was a particularly productive year for Darwin. This was not only the case in his published output (two botanical papers and a book on the pollination mechanisms of orchids), but more particularly in the extent and breadth of the botanical experiments…
Matches: 6 hits
- … Hooker: ‘he is no common man’ ( letter to J. D. Hooker, 12 [December 1862] ). Two sexual …
- … of the year, he wrote to Hooker ( letter to J. D. Hooker, 12 [December 1862] ): ‘my notions on …
- … least 3 classes of dimorphism’ ( letter to Daniel Oliver, 12 [April 1862] ), and experimenting to …
- … passed so miserable a nine months’ ( letter to W. D. Fox, 12 September [1862] ). A family …
- … ‘Botany is a new subject to me’ ( letter to John Scott, 12 November [1862] ), but, impressed by …
- … into Tyndall’s ears’ ( letter to J. D. Hooker, 10–12 November [1862] ). Another of Darwin’s …
German and Dutch photograph albums
Summary
Darwin Day 2018: To celebrate Darwin's 209th birthday, we present two lavishly produced albums of portrait photographs which Darwin received from continental admirers 141 years ago. These unusual gifts from Germany and the Netherlands are made…
Matches: 1 hits
- … their generous sympathy. ( Letter to A. A. van Bemmelen, 12 February 1877 ) View the …

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: 5 hits
- … than insectivorous plants. As he confessed to Hooker on 12 December , ‘I have not felt so angry …
- … from his family, he sent a curt note to Mivart on 12 January , breaking off all future …
- … of a bill that was presented to the House of Commons on 12 May, one week after a rival bill based on …
- … The author, Fritz Schultze, contacted Darwin himself on 12 June , describing the aims of his book …
- … scientific Socy. has done in my time,’ he told Hooker on 12 December . ‘I wish that I knew what …

Darwin in letters, 1878: Movement and sleep
Summary
In 1878, Darwin devoted most of his attention to the movements of plants. He investigated the growth pattern of roots and shoots, studying the function of specific organs in this process. Working closely with his son Francis, Darwin devised a series of…
Matches: 3 hits

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: 1 hits
- … Rubiaceae with enclosures containing bud samples, 12 May 1878 G. H. Darwin's …

Darwin in letters, 1869: Forward on all fronts
Summary
At the start of 1869, Darwin was hard at work making changes and additions for a fifth edition of Origin. He may have resented the interruption to his work on sexual selection and human evolution, but he spent forty-six days on the task. Much of the…

The Lyell–Lubbock dispute
Summary
In May 1865 a dispute arose between John Lubbock and Charles Lyell when Lubbock, in his book Prehistoric times, accused Lyell of plagiarism. The dispute caused great dismay among many of their mutual scientific friends, some of whom took immediate action…

Darwin’s queries on expression
Summary
When Darwin resumed systematic research on emotions around 1866, he began to collect observations more widely and composed a list of queries on human expression. A number of handwritten copies were sent out in 1867 (see, for example, letter to Fritz Muller…

Darwin in letters, 1847-1850: Microscopes and barnacles
Summary
Darwin's study of barnacles, begun in 1844, took him eight years to complete. The correspondence reveals how his interest in a species found during the Beagle voyage developed into an investigation of the comparative anatomy of other cirripedes and…

Cross and self fertilisation
Summary
The effects of cross and self fertilisation in the vegetable kingdom, published on 10 November 1876, was the result of a decade-long project to provide evidence for Darwin’s belief that ‘‘Nature thus tells us, in the most emphatic manner, that she abhors…
Matches: 3 hits

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, 1856-1857: the 'Big Book'
Summary
In May 1856, Darwin began writing up his 'species sketch’ in earnest. During this period, his working life was completely dominated by the preparation of his 'Big Book', which was to be called Natural selection. Using letters are the main…
Matches: 3 hits

Darwin & Glen Roy
Summary
Although Darwin was best known for his geological work in South America and other remote Beagle destinations, he made one noteworthy attempt to explain a puzzling feature of British geology. In 1838, two years after returning from the voyage, he travelled…