To Charles Lyell 3 May [1856]
Summary
Discusses possibility of publishing a sketch of his views.
Comments on CL’s letter [1862].
Mentions various geological topics.
Asks to borrow publication by Heer.
Mentions flight of Colymbetes over ocean.
Recalls visit by Wollaston.
Notes views of Hooker and Huxley on species.
Mentions ability of ducks to transport plant seeds.
Author: | Charles Robert Darwin |
Addressee: | Charles Lyell, 1st baronet |
Date: | 3 May [1856] |
Classmark: | American Philosophical Society (Mss.B.D25.127) |
Letter no: | DCP-LETT-1866 |
Matches: 5 hits
- … Society (Mss.B.D25.127) Charles Robert Darwin Down 3 May [1856] Charles Lyell, 1st baronet …
- … To Charles Lyell 3 May [1856] …
- … Dated by the relationship to the letter from Charles Lyell, 1–2 May 1856 . See …
- … more unorthodox’ ( letter from Charles Lyell, 1–2 May 1856 and n. 7). CD further debated …
- … Lyell, 21 April [1856] . Heer 1855 . See letter from Charles Lyell, 1–2 May 1856 . CD …
To Charles Lyell 8 July [1856]
Summary
Thanks CL for loan of [Matthew Fontaine?] Maury’s map.
Discusses possibility of submerged continental extension including Madeira, Canaries, and Azores.
Mentions icebergs as carriers of European plants.
Hooker’s work on Antarctic flora.
Comments on coolness of tropics in glacial period and consequent migrations. Hooker’s views on this.
Author: | Charles Robert Darwin |
Addressee: | Charles Lyell, 1st baronet |
Date: | 8 July [1856] |
Classmark: | American Philosophical Society (Mss.B.D25.134) |
Letter no: | DCP-LETT-1920 |
Matches: 5 hits
- … Mss.B.D25.134) Charles Robert Darwin Down 8 July [1856] Charles Lyell, 1st baronet …
- … To Charles Lyell 8 July [1856] …
- … floating timber— See letter from Charles Lyell, [1 July 1856] . CD cited the ninth edition …
- … n. 4, below. See letter to Charles Lyell, 16 [June 1856] . CD refers to Maury 1855a , in …
- … s letter of 5 July ( letter to Charles Lyell, 5 July [1856] ). In his journal (Wilson ed. …
To Charles Lyell 10 November [1856]
Summary
Illnesses of Mrs Horner and Emma Darwin.
Death of Sarah Elizabeth Wedgwood.
Mentions work on his "Big Book" [Natural selection].
Remarks on J. A. H. de Bosquet’s discovery of a Chthamalus in the Chalk.
Author: | Charles Robert Darwin |
Addressee: | Charles Lyell, 1st baronet |
Date: | 10 Nov [1856] |
Classmark: | American Philosophical Society (Mss.B.D25.140) |
Letter no: | DCP-LETT-1984 |
Matches: 4 hits
- … Mss.B.D25.140) Charles Robert Darwin Down 10 Nov [1856] Charles Lyell, 1st baronet …
- … To Charles Lyell 10 November [1856] …
- … his priority ( letter from Charles Lyell, 1–2 May 1856 ). See letter to J. A. H. de …
- … Horner , Charles Lyell’s mother-in-law. Sarah Wedgwood died on 6 November 1856 ( Emma …
To Charles Lyell 16 [June 1856]
Summary
Condemns theory of Edward Forbes and others that many islands were formerly connected to South America by now submerged continents.
Author: | Charles Robert Darwin |
Addressee: | Charles Lyell, 1st baronet |
Date: | 16 [June 1856] |
Classmark: | American Philosophical Society (Mss.B.D25.131) |
Letter no: | DCP-LETT-1902 |
Matches: 4 hits
- … Mss.B.D25.131) Charles Robert Darwin Down 16 [June 1856] Charles Lyell, 1st baronet …
- … To Charles Lyell 16 [June 1856] …
- … Lyell’s reply (see letter from Charles Lyell, 17 June 1856 ). E. Forbes 1846 , pp. 348– …
- … 1856 . See also letter from S. P. Woodward, 4 June 1856 . Webb and Berthelot 1836–50; Heer 1855 (see letter from Charles Lyell, …
DCP-LETT-1912B
Summary
Cancelled: appears in 1917.
Author: | Charles Robert Darwin |
Addressee: | Charles Lyell, 1st baronet |
Date: | 5 July [1856] |
Classmark: | Charles Lyell’s notebook 213: 101–2? |
Letter no: | DCP-LETT-1912B |
DCP-LETT-1919A
Summary
Cancelled: appears in 1920.
Author: | Charles Robert Darwin |
Addressee: | Charles Lyell, 1st baronet |
Date: | 8 July [1856] |
Classmark: | Charles Lyell’s notebook II: 95–8? |
Letter no: | DCP-LETT-1919A |
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: 6 hits
- … Mss.B.D25.133) Charles Robert Darwin Down 5 July [1856] Charles Lyell, 1st baronet …
- … To Charles Lyell 5 July [1856] …
- … 50 (ser. 4): 1–5. Letter from Charles Lyell, 1 July 1856 . CD refers to his map (pl. 3) …
- … natural selection (see letter to Charles Lyell, 3 May [1856] ). From an entry in Lyell’s …
- … raised in the letter from Charles Lyell, 1 July 1856 , and that Lyell had given permission …
- … Lyell, Charles. 1830–3. Principles of geology, being an attempt to explain the former changes of the earth’s surface, by reference to causes now in operation. 3 vols. London: John Murray. Natural selection : Charles Darwin’s Natural selection: being the second part of his big species book written from 1856 …
To Charles Lyell 21 April [1856]
Summary
Speculates about cause of inclination in unusual columns of lava. Suggests CL check with William Hopkins about sliding movements in viscid matter.
Comments on CL’s expedition to Madeira.
Author: | Charles Robert Darwin |
Addressee: | Charles Lyell, 1st baronet |
Date: | 21 Apr [1856] |
Classmark: | American Philosophical Society (Mss.B.D25.126) |
Letter no: | DCP-LETT-1855 |
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 |
Matches: 4 hits
- … Mss.B.D25.132) Charles Robert Darwin Down 25 June [1856] Charles Lyell, 1st baronet …
- … To Charles Lyell 25 June [1856] …
- … relationship to the letter from Charles Lyell, 17 June 1856 . The remainder of the letter, …
- … Charles Lyell , [3 October 1846] , and to A. C. Ramsay, 10 October [1846]). CD may have met Ramsay on 18 June 1856 …
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 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 |
Matches: 4 hits
- … From Charles Lyell 17 June 1856 …
- … DAR 146: 475 Charles Lyell, 1st baronet London, Harley St, 53 17 June 1856 Charles Robert …
- … to Raoul Island (see letter to Charles Lyell, 25 June [1856] ). McAndrew 1854. CD had …
- … Lyell, Charles. 1830–3. Principles of geology, being an attempt to explain the former changes of the earth’s surface, by reference to causes now in operation. 3 vols. London: John Murray. Sharpe, Daniel. 1856. …
From Charles Lyell 1–2 May 1856
Summary
Urges CD to publish his theory with small part of data.
Corrects names of land shells on list of shells picked up at Down.
Discusses transport of Ancylus from one river-bed to another by water-beetle.
"I hear that when you & Hooker & Huxley & Wollaston got together you made light of all Species & grew more & more unorthodox."
Mentions discussion of old Atlantis by Oswald Heer.
Comments on Helix and Nanina.
Mentions beetle discovered with small bag of eggs of water-spider under wing.
Madeira evidence favours single species birth-place theory.
Author: | Charles Lyell, 1st baronet |
Addressee: | Charles Robert Darwin |
Date: | 1–2 May 1856 |
Classmark: | DAR 205.3: 282 |
Letter no: | DCP-LETT-1862 |
To J. D. Hooker 5 July [1856]
Summary
Troubled by JDH’s connection between Antarctic island flora and Fuegia, which CD sees as part of a general relation to southern circumpolar flora. Encloses list [not found] of plants from Tristan d’Acunha.
Author: | Charles Robert Darwin |
Addressee: | Joseph Dalton Hooker |
Date: | 5 July [1856] |
Classmark: | DAR 114: 167 |
Letter no: | DCP-LETT-1919 |
Matches: 5 hits
- … see letter to Charles Lyell, 5 July [1856] ). The original order of the letters has been …
- … June [1856] . Letter from Charles Lyell, [1 …
- … July 1856] . See letter to Charles Lyell, 5 July [1856] . CD reiterated this intention in …
- … 1856. CD states that his first letter was written in the morning and that he had also written to Charles Lyell ( …
- … to J. D. Hooker, 5 [July 1856] . A. de Candolle 1855 . Letter to Charles Lyell, 25 …
From Charles Lyell 3 October 1859
Summary
Praises the Origin: a "splendid case of close reasoning".
Objects to CD’s having ignored Lamarck and Geoffroy Saint-Hilaire.
Thinks CD should omit mentioning problem of explaining the eye at the beginning of chapter 14. Suggests rewording several passages.
Thinks want of peculiar birds in Madeira a difficulty, considering presence of them in Galapagos.
Has always felt that the case of man and his races is one and the same with animals and plants.
Author: | Charles Lyell, 1st baronet |
Addressee: | Charles Robert Darwin |
Date: | 3 Oct 1859 |
Classmark: | DAR 98: B1–6 |
Letter no: | DCP-LETT-2501 |
From T. V. Wollaston [27 June 1856]
Summary
Madeiran insects. Regards the "Atlantic province" as a centre of the Coleoptera.
Author: | Thomas Vernon Wollaston |
Addressee: | Charles Robert Darwin |
Date: | [27 June 1856] |
Classmark: | DAR 181: 137 |
Letter no: | DCP-LETT-1912 |
To J. D. Hooker 9 May [1856]
Summary
Lyell urges CD to publish a sketch of species theory; CD asks JDH’s opinion on best course.
Concerned about opposition, particularly by Owen, to Huxley’s admission to Athenaeum.
Author: | Charles Robert Darwin |
Addressee: | Joseph Dalton Hooker |
Date: | 9 May [1856] |
Classmark: | DAR 114: 161 |
Letter no: | DCP-LETT-1870 |
To Charles Lyell 18 July [1858]
Summary
Thanks for abstract of Etna paper [Philos. Trans. R. Soc. Lond. 148 (1858): 703–86]. Never expected to see Élie de Beaumont’s theory ["craters of elevation"] so completely upset. "He must have picked out favourable cases for measurement."
More than satisfied by what was done at Linnean Society [joint reading of CD’s and Wallace’s papers: "Tendency of species to form varieties", Collected papers 2: 3–19]. Intends to prepare longer abstract.
Author: | Charles Robert Darwin |
Addressee: | Charles Lyell, 1st baronet |
Date: | 18 July [1858] |
Classmark: | American Philosophical Society (Mss.B.D25.155) |
Letter no: | DCP-LETT-2309 |
To Charles Lyell [25 June 1858]
Summary
Everything in Wallace’s sketch also appears in CD’s sketch of 1844. A year ago CD sent a short sketch of his views to Asa Gray. Can CD honourably publish his sketch now that Wallace has sent outline of his views? "I would far rather burn my whole book than that he or any man shd. think that I had behaved in a paltry spirit." Does not believe Wallace originated his views from anything CD wrote to him.
Author: | Charles Robert Darwin |
Addressee: | Charles Lyell, 1st baronet |
Date: | [25 June 1858] |
Classmark: | American Philosophical Society (Mss.B.D25.153) |
Letter no: | DCP-LETT-2294 |
To Charles Lyell 13 April [1857]
Summary
CD returns a letter from Wollaston.
Although opposed to the Forbesian doctrine [of continental extension] as a general rule, CD would have no objection to its being proved in some cases. Does not think Wollaston has proved it; nor can anyone until more is known about the means of distribution of insects – but the identity of the two faunas is certainly interesting.
His health is very poor and his "everlasting species-Book" quite overwhelms him with work. It is beyond his powers, but he hopes to live to finish it.
Author: | Charles Robert Darwin |
Addressee: | Charles Lyell, 1st baronet |
Date: | 13 Apr [1857] |
Classmark: | The University of Edinburgh Centre for Research Collections (Gen.109/702) |
Letter no: | DCP-LETT-2077 |
To Charles Lyell 20 November [1860]
Summary
Admires Edward Forbes’s theory of continental extensions, but it will discourage investigation of distribution.
Mentions Oswald Heer’s proposed map of Atlantis.
Discusses extinction of plants caused by the glacial era. Migration of plants and animals during glacial period.
Encourages CL’s work [on Antiquity of man (1863)].
Comments on unfriendly reviews. Asks CL’s opinion about including a reply to reviewers in next edition of Origin.
Author: | Charles Robert Darwin |
Addressee: | Charles Lyell, 1st baronet |
Date: | 20 Nov [1860] |
Classmark: | American Philosophical Society (Mss.B.D25.233) |
Letter no: | DCP-LETT-2989 |
Matches: 3 hits
- … Correspondence vol. 6, letter to Charles Lyell, 25 June [1856] . Heer 1855 . Lyell was …
- … vol. 6, letter from Charles Lyell, 1–2 May 1856 . See, for example, Correspondence vol. …
- … Lyell, Charles. 1867–8. Principles of geology or the modern changes of the earth and its inhabitants considered as illustrative of geology. 10th edition. 2 vols. London: John Murray. Natural selection : Charles Darwin’s Natural selection: being the second part of his big species book written from 1856 …
Darwin, C. R. | (76) |
Hooker, J. D. | (13) |
Lyell, Charles | (9) |
Wollaston, T. V. | (4) |
Bunbury, C. J. F. | (3) |
Darwin, C. R. | (38) |
Hooker, J. D. | (26) |
Lyell, Charles | (24) |
Wallace, A. R. | (3) |
Dana, J. D. | (2) |
Darwin, C. R. | (114) |
Hooker, J. D. | (39) |
Lyell, Charles | (33) |
Wollaston, T. V. | (5) |
Bunbury, C. J. F. | (4) |