To W. B. Tegetmeier 15 March [1856]
Summary
Asks WBT to try to purchase some specific pigeons.
Author: | Charles Robert Darwin |
Addressee: | William Bernhard Tegetmeier |
Date: | 15 Mar [1856] |
Classmark: | Archives of the New York Botanical Garden (Charles Finney Cox Collection) |
Letter no: | DCP-LETT-1842 |
Matches: 1 hit
- … DCP-LETT-1842 …
To Asa Gray 14 July [1856]
Summary
Asks whether Allegheny Mountains are sufficiently continuous so that plants could travel from north to south along them.
Hopes AG’s work on geographical distribution is progressing, as he has questions on plants common to Europe which do not range up to Arctic.
Are intermediate varieties less numerous in individuals than the varieties they connect?
Author: | Charles Robert Darwin |
Addressee: | Asa Gray |
Date: | 14 July [1856] |
Classmark: | Archives of the New York Botanical Garden (Charles Finney Cox Collection) |
Letter no: | DCP-LETT-1926 |
From George Gulliver 20 January [1856]
Summary
Discusses the similarity in size, shape, and structure of the blood corpuscles of the Aves. Notes differences between the corpuscles of the domestic dog and some wild species.
Author: | George Gulliver |
Addressee: | Charles Robert Darwin |
Date: | 20 Jan [1856] |
Classmark: | DAR (CD library – Gulliver, George 1846) |
Letter no: | DCP-LETT-1632 |
To Leonard Horner [1856–7]
Summary
Thanks LH for memorandum [missing] by K. R. Lepsius.
Author: | Charles Robert Darwin |
Addressee: | Leonard Horner |
Date: | [1856–7] |
Classmark: | American Philosophical Society (Mss.B.D25.) |
Letter no: | DCP-LETT-2618 |
To Charles Lyell 25 June [1856]
Summary
Criticises at length the concept of submerged continents attaching islands to the mainland in the recent period. Notes drastic alteration of geography required, the dissimilar species on opposite shores of continents, and differences between volcanic islands and mountains of mainland areas. Admits sea-bed subsidence, but not enough to engulf continents. Denies that theory can explain island flora and fauna.
Considers Edward Forbes’s idea a check on study of dissemination of species.
Author: | Charles Robert Darwin |
Addressee: | Charles Lyell, 1st baronet |
Date: | 25 June [1856] |
Classmark: | American Philosophical Society (Mss.B.D25.132) |
Letter no: | DCP-LETT-1910 |
To C. J. F. Bunbury 21 April [1856]
Summary
CD writes on geographical distribution – "a grand game of chess with the world for a board".
Gives his hypothetical explanation why zoology of Cape [of Good Hope] is not so peculiar as its botany: it was once a group of islands – later united.
Tries hard to set forth the difficulties of his [species] theory.
Tells CJFB in confidence of his theory of the glacial epoch and its effect on plant distribution, such as identical species being found on summits of mountains in the tropics. Invites him to attack his "doctrine".
Author: | Charles Robert Darwin |
Addressee: | Charles James Fox Bunbury, 8th baronet |
Date: | 21 Apr [1856] |
Classmark: | Suffolk Record Office, Bury St Edmunds (Bunbury Family Papers E18/700/1/9/6) |
Letter no: | DCP-LETT-1856 |
To J. D. Hooker 1 December [1856]
Author: | Charles Robert Darwin |
Addressee: | Joseph Dalton Hooker |
Date: | 1 Dec [1856] |
Classmark: | DAR 114: 185 |
Letter no: | DCP-LETT-2008 |
To John Phillips 18 January [1856]
Summary
Discusses chapter [6] on cleavage and foliation in South America. Notes especially cleavage where two series cross and cleavage as basis of foliation in metamorphosed rock. Notes foliation in rocks that have been liquefied by heat. Mentions case described in his "Geology of the Falkland Islands" [Collected papers 1: 203–12]. Discusses relationship of cleavage to beds. Speculations on association between grauwacke and clay-slates.
Author: | Charles Robert Darwin |
Addressee: | John Phillips |
Date: | 18 Jan [1856] |
Classmark: | American Philosophical Society (Mss.B.D25.122) |
Letter no: | DCP-LETT-1822 |
From Charles Lyell [1 July 1856]
Summary
To cast doubt on CD’s view that volcanic action is associated with elevation of land, CL suggests that local oscillations in strata underlying volcanoes could also explain how active volcanoes have uplifted fossil deposits of marine shells. Overall he is more inclined to believe that recent volcanoes belong to areas of subsidence rather than of elevation.
Author: | Charles Lyell, 1st baronet |
Addressee: | Charles Robert Darwin |
Date: | [1 July 1856] |
Classmark: | The University of Edinburgh Centre for Research Collections (Lyell collection Coll-203/A3/2: 132–6) |
Letter no: | DCP-LETT-1915A |
From H. C. Watson 5 June 1856
Summary
Answers CD’s questions about plants common to U. S. and Britain and their distribution in Europe.
Variability of agrarian weeds.
Author: | Hewett Cottrell Watson |
Addressee: | Charles Robert Darwin |
Date: | 5 June 1856 |
Classmark: | DAR 181: 32 |
Letter no: | DCP-LETT-1891 |
To George Bentham 26 November [1856]
Summary
Asks GB for help in clearing up his problems about Leguminosae, in connection with his "wild bit of speculation on the crossing of plants" [see Natural selection, p. 71].
Author: | Charles Robert Darwin |
Addressee: | George Bentham |
Date: | 26 Nov [1856] |
Classmark: | Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew (Bentham Correspondence, Vol. 3, Daintree–Dyer, 1830–1884, GEB/1/3: f. 684) |
Letter no: | DCP-LETT-2003 |
To J. D. Hooker 13 July [1856]
Summary
Has found no case of Huxley’s eternal hermaphrodites.
Cruelty and waste in nature.
CD does not believe in hybrids.
One proven case of multiple creations would smash CD’s theory.
Asks JDH to read MS on alpine and Arctic distribution.
Lyell’s "conversion" to mutability.
Author: | Charles Robert Darwin |
Addressee: | Joseph Dalton Hooker |
Date: | 13 July [1856] |
Classmark: | DAR 114: 169 |
Letter no: | DCP-LETT-1924 |
To J. D. Hooker 11 May [1856]
Summary
CD is unsure about JDH’s recommendation that he publish a separate "Preliminary Essay". It is unphilosophical to publish without full details.
CD will work for Huxley’s admission to Athenaeum.
Author: | Charles Robert Darwin |
Addressee: | Joseph Dalton Hooker |
Date: | 11 May [1856] |
Classmark: | DAR 114: 162 |
Letter no: | DCP-LETT-1874 |
From Charles Lyell 17 June 1856
Summary
CD forgets an author [CD himself in Coral reefs] "who, by means of atolls, contrived to submerge archipelagoes (or continents?), the mountains of which must originally have differed from each other in height 8,000 (or 10,000?) feet".
CL begins to think that all continents and oceans are chiefly post-Eocene, but he admits that it is questionable how far one is at liberty to call up continents "to convey a Helix from the United States to Europe in Miocene or Pliocene periods".
Will CD explain why the land and marine shells of Porto Santo and Madeira differ while the plants so nearly agree?
Author: | Charles Lyell, 1st baronet |
Addressee: | Charles Robert Darwin |
Date: | 17 June 1856 |
Classmark: | DAR 146: 475 |
Letter no: | DCP-LETT-1905 |
To R. H. Bakewell 30 April [1856–68]
Summary
Thanks for case of inherited malconformation.
Author: | Charles Robert Darwin |
Addressee: | Robert Hall Bakewell |
Date: | 30 Apr [1856-68] |
Classmark: | Christie’s, London (dealers) (4 June 2008) |
Letter no: | DCP-LETT-13770F |
Matches: 1 hit
- … address, which was used by CD between 1842 and 1846, June to December 1853, and October …
To the Royal Society 8 October [1856?]
Summary
The bearer has called for the books. Requests volumes of Isis for 1828 and 1829.
Author: | Charles Robert Darwin |
Addressee: | Royal Society of London |
Date: | 8 Oct [1856?] |
Classmark: | DAR 249: 111 |
Letter no: | DCP-LETT-1970A |
Matches: 1 hit
- … CD wrote this note on a Wednesday. Between 1842, when the Darwins moved to Down, and end …
To T. H. Huxley 1 July [1856]
Summary
Asks for information on geographical distribution of ascidians; are any closely allied species or genera found in north and south temperate zones that do not have representatives in the tropics?
Answers some questions on [cirripede] antennae.
If THH ever sees a tree washed ashore, will he observe whether any earth is embedded between roots?
Author: | Charles Robert Darwin |
Addressee: | Thomas Henry Huxley |
Date: | 1 July [1856] |
Classmark: | Imperial College of Science, Technology, and Medicine Archives (Huxley 5: 175, 37–9) |
Letter no: | DCP-LETT-1914 |
Matches: 1 hit
- … By Charles Darwin. London: Smith, Elder & Co. 1842. Correspondence : The correspondence of …
To Charles Lyell 5 July [1856]
Summary
Discusses theory of submerged continental extensions. Objects that if it is applied to one island, it must be applied to all. Admits that some volcanoes may have been associated with subsidence, in contrast to his former view. Cites evidence from S. American Cordillera. Doubts that elevation associated with volcanoes is merely local, and that great ocean areas are necessarily sinking.
Says he will make his essay [on species] as complete as possible and will discuss CL’s Principles.
Author: | Charles Robert Darwin |
Addressee: | Charles Lyell, 1st baronet |
Date: | 5 July [1856] |
Classmark: | American Philosophical Society (Mss.B.D25.133) |
Letter no: | DCP-LETT-1917 |
Matches: 1 hit
- … By Charles Darwin. London: Smith, Elder & Co. 1842. Hopkins, William. 1835. Researches in …
To T. C. Eyton 31 August [1856]
Summary
Asks whether number of incisors varies in domestic pigs. Is testing views of J. M. Bechstein.
Comments on TCE’s book [Herd book of Hereford cattle (1846–59)]. Mentions variations in the breed.
Will quote TCE on geese [Mag. Nat. Hist. 4 (1840): 90–2].
Problem of geographical distribution; his seed-salting experiments. Asks about distribution of seeds to islands. Do water-birds ever have dirty feet?
Could Eyton’s gamekeepers collect owl and hawk pellets? Asks for dace stomachs and contents.
Asks for cats’ skeletons.
Author: | Charles Robert Darwin |
Addressee: | Thomas Campbell Eyton |
Date: | 31 Aug [1856] |
Classmark: | American Philosophical Society (Mss.B.D25.137) |
Letter no: | DCP-LETT-1948 |
Matches: 1 hit
- … CD had previously read Bechstein [1789–95] in 1842, he reread the first volume in February …
From J. D. Dana 8 September 1856
Summary
Responds to CD’s query about the blind fauna of Mammoth Cave.
Gives information from L. Agassiz. Distribution of Crustacea, especially along southern coastlines.
Author: | James Dwight Dana |
Addressee: | Charles Robert Darwin |
Date: | 8 Sept 1856 |
Classmark: | DAR 205.3: 269 (Letters), DAR 162: 38 |
Letter no: | DCP-LETT-1951 |
Matches: 1 hit
- … States exploring expedition between 1838 and 1842. The page reference given is part of a …
Darwin, C. R. | (15) |
Lyell, Charles | (2) |
Dana, J. D. | (1) |
Gulliver, George | (1) |
Watson, H. C. | (1) |
Darwin, C. R. | (5) |
Hooker, J. D. | (3) |
Lyell, Charles | (2) |
Bakewell, R. H. | (1) |
Bentham, George | (1) |
Darwin, C. R. | (20) |
Lyell, Charles | (4) |
Hooker, J. D. | (3) |
Bakewell, R. H. | (1) |
Bentham, George | (1) |
Darwin and Down
Summary
Charles and Emma Darwin, with their first two children, settled at Down House in the village of Down (later ‘Downe’) in Kent, as a young family in 1842. The house came with eighteen acres of land, and a fifteen acre meadow. The village combined the…
Darwin and Fatherhood
Summary
Charles Darwin married Emma Wedgwood in 1839 and over the next seventeen years the couple had ten children. It is often assumed that Darwin was an exceptional Victorian father. But how extraordinary was he? The Correspondence Project allows an unusually…
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…
Natural Selection: the trouble with terminology Part I
Summary
Darwin encountered problems with the term ‘natural selection’ even before Origin appeared. Everyone from the Harvard botanist Asa Gray to his own publisher came up with objections. Broadly these divided into concerns either that its meaning simply wasn’t…
Matches: 1 hits
- … heading in the earliest outline of his theory written in 1842 , and, as he told Asa Gray in …
Darwin & coral reefs
Summary
The central idea of Darwin's theory of coral reef formation, as it was later formulated, was that the islands were formed by the upward growth of coral as the Pacific Ocean floor gradually subsided. It overturned previous ideas and would in itself…
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: 30 hits
- … Illustrations of the Domestic animals of Gt. Britain [D. Low 1842].— 23 must be read carefully. …
- … Erasmus—— Lavater. Life & Correspondence [?Heisch 1842] Coleridge. Literary …
- … Cicero [Middleton 1741] W. Meister’s Life [Goethe 1842].— Malcolm’s History of Persia …
- … [DAR *119: 15] Zanoni by Bulwer [Bulwer-Lytton 1842]. Life of D. of Marlborough [A. …
- … organs read A. Alison on Population. 2 vols. Feb. 1842 [A. Alison 1840].— Youatt in …
- … 1836]: worth looking at. Low has probably told all [D. Low 1842] Madras Journal [ Madras …
- … Soc. appears to be good Papers on Sewalik Fossils in 1842 [Cautley 1840 and Cautley and Falconer …
- … Read “Bronn’s Geschicte der Natur.” [Bronn 1842–3] Kingdons translat …
- … Jussieus introduct to Bot. price 6 s [Jussieu 1842] [DAR *119: 20v.] …
- … Cerealia [Loiseleur Deslongchamps 1842–3] Phytologist [ …
- … (List from Muller & Bronn [Müller 1837–42 and Bronn 1842–3] in this Book) 52 Royle …
- … . Smollets William & Mary. & Anne [Smollett 1805].— 1842 Jan 10 M rs …
- … —— 17 th Laing notes of a Traveller 1 vol [Laing 1842] —— Finished Wordsworth 6 vols. …
- … such instincts .— [DAR 119: 12b] 1842 March. 26 th Holcroft’s Memoirs …
- … [Hyde 1704] Feb. Vol. of Madame D’Arblay [Burney 1842–6] Mar 1. Lieut. Eyres Narrative …
- … nothing —— Doubleday on Population [Doubleday 1842] —— Ramond’s voyage in Pyrenees …
- … 1774] —— F. Bremer’s little novels [Bremer 1842, 1843b, 1844a, 1844c] March 7 th M …
- … 1839] 14 th Arnolds lectures on History [Arnold 1842] —— History of Civilization by …
- … very poor Oct 1 Owen on Mylodon Robustus [R. Owen 1842]. References at end. 7 th . …
- … June 8 th Wilson Voyage Round Scotland [J. Wilson 1842] (poor) M. Gerard sur l’Espece …
- … [Chambers 1845] —— Bronn’s Gesickte [Bronn 1842–3] 2 d . Vol [DAR 119: 16b] …
- … [M. G. Lewis 1834] Nov 7. Life of Lavater [?Heisch 1842] —— 25. M rs . Meredith. N.S …
- … April VI & VII. vol. of Madame d’Arblay [Burney 1842–6]. —— 15 th . Phillip’s life of W …
- … —— Jussieu. Cours Elementaire Botanique [Jussieu 1842] —— Transactions of Amer. Philosoph Soc …
- … des Naturalistes de Moscou ]. Vols for 1833, 1837, 1838, 1842, 43, 44—not all these latter vols: …
- … 17 th Thompson’s Birds of Ireland [W. Thompson 1842] Part I. Sept. 17. Sir J. Ross. Voyage …
- … Nov. 15 th Wilson Voyage. Scotland [J. Wilson 1842] —— Southey. Book of the Church [R. W. …
- … Keppell. 1853 [Keppel 1853] Dickens America [Dickens 1842] Thackerays Lectures on …
- … et exp. pages 248. 8 vo [Loiseleur Deslongchamps 1842–3] Linn. Soc.? must be read.— not in Royal. …
- … of Indies [Acosta 1604].— Report, Brit. Assoc. 1842 . Richardson N.Z. Fish [J. Richardson …
3.1 Antoine Claudet, daguerreotype
Summary
< Back to Introduction This daguerreotype of Darwin with his firstborn child, William, was, according to a label on the glass, taken on 23 August 1842, just before the family moved from London to Down. It is generally attributed to the French…
Matches: 4 hits
- … was, according to a label on the glass, taken on 23 August 1842, just before the family moved from …
- … daguerreotype of the Darwins. Darwin’s account book for 1842 records the purchase of a daguerreotype …
- … this information does not tally with the dating: in August 1842, William would have been only two …
- … Claudet date of creation 23 August 1842 computer-readable date 1842-08-23 …
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: 7 hits
- … their first child, William Erasmus, was born. In September 1842, the family, now increased by a …
- … and explore new avenues of thought, and by the summer of 1842 he felt that his research had …
- … of species was published, but the general outline of 1842 is, to a surprising degree, present in …
- … far from their original locations. The following year, 1842, having heard of evidence of glaciation …
- … research required. The trip to North Wales in June 1842 was his last field trip: thereafter his …
- … stays at Shrewsbury and Maer during the summers of 1841 and 1842 show that he was making botanical …
- … obvious relevance to the theory of descent (Pencil sketch of 1842, in Foundations , p. 74). …
Darwin’s Photographic Portraits
Summary
Darwin was a photography enthusiast. This is evident not only in his use of photography for the study of Expression and Emotions in Man and Animal, but can be witnessed in his many photographic portraits and in the extensive portrait correspondence that…
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: 14 hits
- … his mouth to do so.—[35] 25v. Feb. 20 th . 1842. Anny (, same age) has learned to shake …
- … 28v. [39] Anny was to day March 1 st 1842 rather amused, at a wafer sticking first to one hand …
- … case of my watch.— 29v. March 1 st 1842— Anny says Papa pretty clearly—[40] A few days …
- … pretty & Papa for a week past perfectly clear Feb 1842 I have long observed that the …
- … for their feelings— 31 [42] In Jan ry . 1842 it was first perceived that Willy began to …
- … “bub my crumps” & 31v. March 29 th . 1842.— I have some months remarked how much …
- … gabble nonsense words,— 33 March 20: th .— 1842 Doddy is a great adept at throwing …
- … the eyes & is a full face.— 36 March 26 th 1842 2 years & 3 mth— Doddy was …
- … not the “beast in house”.— 37v. [50] May 1. 1842. 14 months old It is curious to see how …
- … down the corners of his mouth[51] June 1 st . 1842 Observed the first day I put on a new …
- … stuck to it, “no Doddy did not”. Aug 26 th .. 1842 About a fortnight ago, I met Willy …
- … at Upper Gower Street between 12 February and 16 March 1842. [43] Stammering ran in the …
- … [51] Emma Darwin and the children went to Maer on 3 May 1842; CD joined them on 18 May (Emma Darwin …
- … of bees in pollination, made in the summers between 1840 and 1842, are in DAR 46.2 and DAR 205.5: 53 …
Species theory outlined
Summary
Darwin writes a 32-page outline of his ideas on species change, known as 'the pencil sketch'
Matches: 1 hits
- … Darwin writes a 32-page outline of his ideas on species change, known as 'the pencil sketch' …
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…
Fake Darwin: myths and misconceptions
Summary
Many myths have persisted about Darwin's life and work. Here are a few of the more pervasive ones, with full debunking below...
Matches: 1 hits
- … Many myths have persisted about Darwin's life and work. Here are a few of the more pervasive ones, …
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
Living and fossil cirripedia
Summary
Darwin published four volumes on barnacles, the crustacean sub-class Cirripedia, between 1851 and 1854, two on living species and two on fossil species. Written for a specialist audience, they are among the most challenging and least read of Darwin’s works…
Matches: 1 hits
- … had also completed two outlines of his ‘species theory’ (1842 Pencil sketch and 1844 Essay). …
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: 1 hits
- … obst. doct. 35 Den Haag 20 December 1842 Rotterdam 23 …
Darwin in letters, 1844–1846: Building a scientific network
Summary
The scientific results of the Beagle voyage still dominated Darwin's working life, but he broadened his continuing investigations into the nature and origin of species. Far from being a recluse, Darwin was at the heart of British scientific society,…
Matches: 1 hits
- … should be denied him. After prolonged illnesses in 1841 and 1842, years poorly represented in the …
Before Origin: the ‘big book’
Summary
Darwin began ‘sorting notes for Species Theory’ on 9 September 1854, the very day he concluded his eight-year study of barnacles (Darwin's Journal). He had long considered the question of species. In 1842, he outlined a theory of transmutation in a…
Natural selection
Summary
How do new species arise? This was the ancient question that Charles Darwin tackled soon after returning to England from the Beagle voyage in October 1836. Darwin realised a crucial (and cruel) fact: far more individuals of each species were born than…
Matches: 1 hits
- … How do new species arise? This was the ancient question that Charles Darwin tackled soon after …
Hensleigh Wedgwood
Summary
Hensleigh Wedgwood, Emma Darwin’s brother and Charles’s cousin, was a philologist, barrister and original member of the Philological Society, which had been created in 1842. In 1857, while Wedgwood was preparing a dictionary of English etymology, he wrote…
Matches: 1 hits
- … of the Philological Society, which had been created in 1842. In 1857, while Wedgwood was preparing a …