To ? 22 June [1875–81]
Summary
Sends signed photo of himself.
Has published only one paper in Philosophical Transactions of Royal Society, "Parallel roads of Glen Roy" [Collected papers 1: 87–137]. His conclusions have proved erroneous.
Author: | Charles Robert Darwin |
Addressee: | Unidentified |
Date: | 22 June [1875-81] |
Classmark: | Wellcome Collection (MS.7781/1–32 item 15) |
Letter no: | DCP-LETT-10544 |
To R. F. Cooke 17 December [1875]
Summary
Discusses payment of £10 owed by Italians.
"No corrections for Voyage of Beagle [Journal of researches]."
Author: | Charles Robert Darwin |
Addressee: | Robert Francis Cooke; John Murray |
Date: | 17 Dec [1875] |
Classmark: | DAR 143: 292 |
Letter no: | DCP-LETT-10304 |
From Fritz Müller 25 December 1875
Summary
"Sambaquis", or shell mounds accumulated by former inhabitants of the coast, contain shells of some animals that FM has never seen living.
Ants that live on imbauba trees (Cecropia) are attracted by small bodies at base of each petiole.
Author: | Johann Friedrich Theodor (Fritz) Müller |
Addressee: | Charles Robert Darwin |
Date: | 25 Dec 1875 |
Classmark: | Nature, 17 February 1876, pp. 304–5 |
Letter no: | DCP-LETT-10324 |
To Osbert Salvin 22 August [1875]
Summary
Obliged for his memoir ["On the avifauna of the Galapagos", Trans. Zool. Soc. (April 1875)]. His surprise that the birds from the different islands prove so similar. Comparison of the habits, nests, eggs of the commonest species of each island would throw a flood of light upon variation.
Author: | Charles Robert Darwin |
Addressee: | Osbert Salvin |
Date: | 22 Aug [1875] |
Classmark: | Sybil Rampen (private collection) |
Letter no: | DCP-LETT-10132A |
Matches: 1 hit
- … By Charles Darwin. London: Henry Colburn. 1839. Salvin, Osbert. 1875. On the avifauna of …
To J. V. Carus 14 October [1875]
Summary
Sends sheets of Climbing plants [2d ed.], which will be published in November. Suggests JVC have someone translate it under his supervision,
since he has not yet finished Insectivorous plants.
Admires the appearance of [German ed. of] Journal of researches.
Discusses other publication prospects.
Author: | Charles Robert Darwin |
Addressee: | Julius Victor Carus |
Date: | 14 Oct [1875] |
Classmark: | Staatsbibliothek zu Berlin – Preußischer Kulturbesitz (Slg. Darmstaedter Lc 1859: Darwin, Charles, Bl. 135–136) |
Letter no: | DCP-LETT-10198 |
Matches: 1 hit
- … By Charles Darwin. London: Henry Colburn. 1839. Orchids 2d ed. : The various contrivances …
From J. V. Carus 28 June 1875
Summary
Thinks Insectivorous plants must be translated and published in Germany.
Journal of researches nearly finished.
A new [German] edition of Origin is wanted.
Author: | Julius Victor Carus |
Addressee: | Charles Robert Darwin |
Date: | 28 June 1875 |
Classmark: | DAR 161: 101 |
Letter no: | DCP-LETT-10033 |
Matches: 1 hit
- … By Charles Darwin. London: Henry Colburn. 1839. Origin 6th ed. : The origin of species by …
From Thomas Burgess 21 April [1875]
Summary
Thanks for letter of 15th and book. Recollects many sights of Tierra del Fuego described by CD.
Author: | Thomas Burgess |
Addressee: | Charles Robert Darwin |
Date: | 21 Apr [1875] |
Classmark: | DAR 160: 376 |
Letter no: | DCP-LETT-9943 |
Matches: 1 hit
- … of Captain FitzRoy, RN, from 1832 to 1836. By Charles Darwin. London: Henry Colburn. 1839. …
From J. V. Carus 5 February 1875
Summary
New [3d] German edition of Descent will soon be out.
Will begin translating Journal of researches, which will be first volume of CD’s collected works.
JVC has proposed bringing out all CD’s botanical papers in one or two volumes.
Errata in Descent enclosed.
Author: | Julius Victor Carus |
Addressee: | Charles Robert Darwin |
Date: | 5 Feb 1875 |
Classmark: | DAR 161: 99 |
Letter no: | DCP-LETT-9841 |
Matches: 1 hit
- … By Charles Darwin. London: Henry Colburn. 1839. Orchids : On the various contrivances by …
From Thomas Burgess 13 April 1875
Author: | Thomas Burgess |
Addressee: | Charles Robert Darwin |
Date: | 13 Apr 1875 |
Classmark: | DAR 106: D17–18 |
Letter no: | DCP-LETT-9925 |
Matches: 1 hit
- … of Captain FitzRoy, RN, from 1832 to 1836. By Charles Darwin. London: Henry Colburn. 1839. …
From J. V. Carus 21 December 1875
Summary
Sends list of misprints in first edition of Insectivorous plants for the German collected works.
Author: | Julius Victor Carus |
Addressee: | Charles Robert Darwin |
Date: | 21 Dec 1875 |
Classmark: | DAR 86: B6–7 |
Letter no: | DCP-LETT-10315 |
Matches: 1 hit
- … By Charles Darwin. [Read 7 February 1839. ] Philosophical Transactions of the Royal …
From George Cupples 1 March 1875
Summary
Thanks for presentation copy of Descent, 2d ed.
Author: | George Cupples |
Addressee: | Charles Robert Darwin |
Date: | 1 Mar 1875 |
Classmark: | DAR 161: 303 |
Letter no: | DCP-LETT-9877 |
Matches: 1 hit
- … for Edinburgh and was elected in June 1839 ( ODNB ). In his letter of 25 February 1875 , …
To J. V. Carus 25 December 1875
Summary
Thanks for errata in Insectivorous plants.
Sends spare copies of his papers, but thinks several are not worth publishing.
Has only one copy, which he will lend JVC, of the best one, on "Erratic boulders of South America" [Collected papers 1: 145–63].
Has not sent "Parallel roads of Glen Roy" [Collected papers 1: 87–137], as he is sure he was wrong.
Author: | Charles Robert Darwin |
Addressee: | Julius Victor Carus |
Date: | 25 Dec 1875 |
Classmark: | Staatsbibliothek zu Berlin – Preußischer Kulturbesitz (Slg. Darmstaedter Lc 1859: Darwin, Charles, Bl. 137–138) |
Letter no: | DCP-LETT-10323 |
Matches: 1 hit
- … By Charles Darwin. [Read 7 February 1839. ] Philosophical Transactions of the Royal …
To Chauncey Wright 13 March 1875
Summary
Discusses function of the eyebrows in protecting the eyes from sweat.
Mentions notices in the Nation.
Author: | Charles Robert Darwin |
Addressee: | Chauncey Wright |
Date: | 13 Mar 1875 |
Classmark: | American Philosophical Society (Mss.B.D25.) |
Letter no: | DCP-LETT-9886 |
Matches: 1 hit
- … of Captain FitzRoy, RN, from 1832 to 1836. By Charles Darwin. London: Henry Colburn. 1839. …
From J. V. Carus 17 April 1875
Summary
Sends concluding part of his Zoologie [see 8531].
Enjoys translating Journal of researches. Questions several passages.
Author: | Julius Victor Carus |
Addressee: | Charles Robert Darwin |
Date: | 17 Apr 1875 |
Classmark: | DAR 161: 100 |
Letter no: | DCP-LETT-9937 |
Matches: 1 hit
- … of Captain FitzRoy, RN, from 1832 to 1836. By Charles Darwin. London: Henry Colburn. 1839. …
From Gustavus Fritsche 23 October 1875
Author: | Gustavus Fritsche |
Addressee: | Charles Robert Darwin |
Date: | 23 Oct 1875 |
Classmark: | DAR 164: 217 |
Letter no: | DCP-LETT-10221 |
Matches: 1 hit
- … Charles Darwin. London: Henry Colburn. 1839. Variation 2d ed. : The variation of animals …
letter | (15) |
Darwin, C. R. | (6) |
Carus, J. V. | (4) |
Burgess, Thomas | (2) |
Cupples, George | (1) |
Fritsche, Gustavus | (1) |
Darwin, C. R. | (9) |
Carus, J. V. | (2) |
Cooke, R. F. | (1) |
John Murray | (1) |
Salvin, Osbert | (1) |
Darwin, C. R. | (15) |
Carus, J. V. | (6) |
Burgess, Thomas | (2) |
Cooke, R. F. | (1) |
Cupples, George | (1) |

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: 21 hits
- … to read in Notebook C ( Notebooks , pp. 319–28). In 1839, these lists were copied and continued in …
- … in the Royal Society of London (Royal Society of London 1839) has been heavily marked, and quite a …
- … Pierquin, published in Paris (in 2 vols.), so long ago as 1839 4 [Pierquin de Gembloux 1839]. …
- … 1814–29] D r Royle on Himmalaya types [Royle 1839] (read) Smellie Philosophy of …
- … 12 by Owen in Encyclop. of Anat. & Physiology [R. Owen 1839] Dampier probably worth …
- … on subjects of science connected with Nat. Theol: [Brougham 1839] on instinct & animal …
- … 1808] Brit. & Foreign Medical Rev. N o 14. Ap 1839 [Anon. 1839b] Rev. on Walker on …
- … Smart 17 Beginning of a New School of metaphysic. [Smart 1839] about connection of language & …
- … Babbington on Flora of Channel Isl d . [Babington 1839] says he has remarks on affinities of …
- … 1816 [Gallesio 1816]— quoted by D r . Holland [Holland 1839] (p. 27) as good— Decandoelle …
- … [Thacker 1834–5] p. 291 Athenæum 1839. p. 546— M r Conrad has published …
- … Arboretum [Loudon 1838] in Edinburgh Review July 1839 [Anon. 1839a]— there are pencil remarks on it. …
- … would contain facts for me [DAR *119: 9v.] 1839. Decemb. Advertised . …
- … Dog with illustrations of about 100 varieties [?C. H. Smith 1839–40] 24 Flourens “Resume …
- … publishing Travels into interior of N. America [Wied-Neuwied 1839–41]— in Geograph Soc …
- … 1840. Octob & Jan. Papers on Instinct by Flourens [Flourens 1839] (read) Index of Clarkes …
- … S. Bellamy on Nat. Hist. of S. Devonshire [Bellamy 1839] chiefly on distribution of forms said to be …
- … at end of Catalogue of Royal Soc. [Royal Society of London 1839]— Meckel’s Anatomy. French …
- … ed. 1834] read Vol. (2 d ) on Dogs [C. H. Smith 1839–40] /on Ruminants [Jardine ed. 1835–6] …
- … on the Obligations of man to the inferior animals’ [Youatt 1839] discusses their minds. …
- … by Hooker . [A. P. de Candolle 1839–40] Jussieus …

Darwin in letters, 1837–1843: The London years to 'natural selection'
Summary
The seven-year period following Darwin's return to England from the Beagle voyage was one of extraordinary activity and productivity in which he became recognised as a naturalist of outstanding ability, as an author and editor, and as a professional…
Matches: 5 hits
- … they show for one another’s sensibilities. Early in 1839 the couple set up house in London and at …
- … and set in type by November 1837, though not published until 1839, when it appeared as the third …
- … of species” ( Letter to J. S. Henslow, [November 1839] ). note book, after note …
- … Marriage Darwin married Emma Wedgwood in January 1839. His hopes and fears about married life …
- … to act’ ( Letter from Emma Darwin, [ c. February 1839] ). These are not matters that she would …
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: 6 hits
- … now at Down House, celebrated his marriage in January 1839 to his cousin Emma Wedgwood; the one of …
- … his evolutionary theories. As early as February 1839, Elizabeth Wedgwood had written to her …
- … Richmond did not return from Italy until August or September 1839. Josiah Wedgwood himself wrote to …
- … twelve guineas for a portrait of some kind in December 1839, and a further payment of twelve guineas …
- … where it appears as the frontispiece, she had dated it to 1839; and, puzzlingly, she said there that …
- … Down House MSS, Darwin’s account books, entry for Dec. 1839. Joseph Hooker, letter to Darwin, 17 …

Science: A Man’s World?
Summary
Discussion Questions|Letters Darwin's correspondence show that many nineteenth-century women participated in the world of science, be it as experimenters, observers, editors, critics, producers, or consumers. Despite this, much of the…
Matches: 1 hits
- … Letter 489 - Darwin to Wedgwood, E., [20 January 1839] Written shortly before their …

Natural Science and Femininity
Summary
Discussion Questions|Letters A conflation of masculine intellect and feminine thoughts, habits and feelings, male naturalists like Darwin inhabited an uncertain gendered identity. Working from the private domestic comfort of their homes and exercising…
Matches: 1 hits
- … Letter 542 - Darwin to Wedgwood, C. S., [27 October 1839] Darwin details his typical …

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: 4 hits
- … races, lunatics, the blind, and animals. And as early as 1839 Darwin had begun to collect …
- … development from the day of his birth, 27 December 1839, until September 1844. Parallels in the …
- … 1 [9] W. Erasmus. Darwin born. Dec. 27 th . 1839.—[10] During first week. yawned, streatched …
- … vol. 2, letter from Emma Wedgwood, [23 January 1839] . [7] Correspondence vol. 2, …

The evolution of honeycomb
Summary
Honeycombs are natural engineering marvels, using the least possible amount of wax to provide the greatest amount of storage space, with the greatest possible structural stability. Darwin recognised that explaining the evolution of the honey-bee’s comb…
Matches: 3 hits
- … on subjects connected with natural theology (1839), Brougham commented that bees acted with a …
- … suppose when we recollect who is her teacher’ (Brougham 1839, 1: 35, 77). William Kirby wrote of the …
- … no bee in the world ever made cylindrical cells (Brougham 1839, 1: 32). However, Darwin knew that …

Introduction to the Satire of FitzRoy's Narrative of the Voyages of the Adventure and Beagle
Summary
'a humble toadyish follower…': Not all pictures of Darwin during the Beagle voyage are flattering. Published here for the first time is a complete transcript of a satirical account of the Beagle’s brief visit in 1836 to the Cocos Keeling islands…
Matches: 4 hits
- … voyages of His Majesty's Ships Adventure and Beagle (1839), was written by John Clunies Ross, …
- … in the Beagle , and especially the works published in 1839 by her captain, Robert FitzRoy and his …
- … are marked in roman numerals. Others relate to Darwin’s 1839 or 1845 volumes and Belcher’s …
- … star in the scientific world, and had copies of both the 1839 Narrative and the 1845 second edition …

Syms Covington
Summary
When Charles Darwin embarked on the Beagle voyage in 1831, Syms Covington was ‘fiddler & boy to Poop-cabin’. Covington kept an illustrated journal of his observations and experiences on the voyage, noting wildlife, landscapes, buildings and people and,…
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: 1 hits
- … Letter 471 — Darwin, Emma to Darwin, C. R., [c. Feb 1839] Emma discusses Darwin’s religious …
4.10 'Hornet' caricature of Darwin
Summary
< Back to Introduction Caricatures of Darwin that depicted him as a semi-ape are numerous and well known, but they marked a specific historical moment. Most date from the period following the publication of Descent of Man in 1871-2, extending through…
Matches: 0 hits
4.21 Gegeef, 'Our National Church', 1
Summary
< Back to Introduction A print with the ironic title Our National Church: The Aegis of Liberty, Equality, and Fraternity was issued by the London publisher Edmund Appleyard in c.1872-3, and sold at a penny. The artist who drew it signed himself …
Matches: 0 hits

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: 3 hits
George James Stebbing
Summary
George James Stebbing (1803—1860) travelled around the world with Charles Darwin on board HMS Beagle and helped him with measuring temperature on at least one occasion. However, Stebbing barely registers in Darwin’s correspondence. The only mention omits…

Elleparu (York Minster)
Summary
Elleparu was one of the Alakaluf, or canoe people from the western part of Tierra del Fuego. He was captured by Robert FitzRoy, captain of HMS Beagle, in 1830 after one the small boats used for surveying the narrow inlets of the coast of Tierra del Fuego…
Matches: 1 hits
- … FitzRoy.] 3 vols. and appendix. London: Henry Colburn. 1839. …

Bibliography of Darwin’s geological publications
Summary
This list includes papers read by Darwin to the Geological Society of London, his books on the geology of the Beagle voyage, and other publications on geological topics. Author-date citations refer to entries in the Darwin Correspondence Project’s…

Yokcushlu (Fuegia Basket)
Summary
Yokcushlu was one of the Alakaluf, or canoe people from the western part of Tierra del Fuego. She was one of the hostages seized by Robert FitzRoy, captain of HMS Beagle, after the small boat used for surveying the narrow inlets of the coast of Tierra del…
Matches: 1 hits
- … FitzRoy.] 3 vols. and appendix. London: Henry Colburn. 1839. …

Orundellico (Jemmy Button)
Summary
Orundellico was one of the Yahgan, or canoe people of the southern part of Tierra del Fuego. He was the fourth hostage taken by Robert FitzRoy, captain of HMS Beagle, in 1830 following the theft of the small surveying boat. This fourteen-year old boy was…
Matches: 1 hits
- … FitzRoy.] 3 vols. and appendix. London: Henry Colburn. 1839. …
4.34 'Punch', Sambourne cartoon 1
Summary
< Back to Introduction Linley Sambourne’s cartoon in Punch, a ‘Suggested Illustration’ for Darwin’s forthcoming book on The Movements and Habits of Climbing Plants (1875) is another playful transformation of the author into an ape or monkey. However,…
Matches: 0 hits

Darwin in letters, 1821-1836: Childhood to the Beagle voyage
Summary
Darwin's first known letters were written when he was twelve. They continue through school-days at Shrewsbury, two years as a medical student at Edinburgh University, the undergraduate years at Cambridge, and the of the voyage of H.M.S. Beagle.…
Matches: 1 hits
- … until FitzRoy completed his volume of the Narrative in 1839. London scientific society …