From F. B. Goodacre 1 September 1879
Summary
Would like CD to write a paper on the results of geese experiments; hopes CD will not object to his doing the same despite the variance of their conclusions [see F. B. Goodacre, "Question of identity of Chinese and domestic goose", Proc. Zool. Soc. Lond. (1879): 710–12 and CD’s "Fertility of hybrids from the Chinese and common goose", Collected papers 2: 219–20].
Author: | Francis Burges Goodacre |
Addressee: | Charles Robert Darwin |
Date: | 1 Sept 1879 |
Classmark: | DAR 165: 67 |
Letter no: | DCP-LETT-12210 |
Matches: 13 hits
- … From F. B. Goodacre 1 September 1879 …
- … 165: 67 Francis Burges Goodacre Attleborough, Norfolk 1 Sept 1879 Charles Robert Darwin …
- … domestic goose", Proc. Zool. Soc. Lond. (1879): 710–12 and CD’s "Fertility of hybrids from …
- … correspondence with Charles Darwin, 1873–1879 . Privately published. Desmond, Adrian. …
- … 153–85, 223–50. Goodacre, Francis Burges. 1879. On the question of the identity of species …
- … of the common domestic and the Chinese goose. [Read 18 November 1879. ] Proceedings …
- … See letters to F. B. Goodacre, 13 August [1879] and …
- … 29 August 1879 . CD was in Coniston …
- … the Lake District from 2 to 27 August 1879 (CD’s ‘Journal’ (Appendix II)). Alfred Meadows …
- … of the Zoological Society of London ( Goodacre 1879 ). The Magazine of Natural History was …
- … of the Zoological Society of London (1879): 710–12. …
- … see letter to F. B. Goodacre, 29 August 1879 ). The results of the crossing experiments …
- … 207 (see letter to Nature , 15 December [1879] ). Goodacre thought that hybrids could not …
From Otto Hahn 1 September 1879
Summary
Sends copy of Die Urzelle [1879].
Clerical party in Germany rejoicing because science cannot explain all facts at once.
Author: | Otto Hahn |
Addressee: | Charles Robert Darwin |
Date: | 1 Sept 1879 |
Classmark: | DAR 166: 82 |
Letter no: | DCP-LETT-12211 |
Matches: 9 hits
- … From Otto Hahn 1 September 1879 …
- … DAR 166: 82 Otto Hahn Reutlingen 1 Sept 1879 Charles Robert Darwin …
- … Sends copy of Die Urzelle [1879]. Clerical party in Germany rejoicing because science …
- … theory in Germany, see the letter from Ernst Haeckel, 9 February 1879 and n. 3. …
- … Württemberg Deutschland) den i. September 1879. Geehrtester Herr! Hierbei sende ich Ihnen …
- … of Die Urzelle (The primordial cell; Hahn 1879 ) is in the Darwin Library–Down. Eozoon …
- … Foraminifera; it is discussed in Hahn 1879 , pp. 1–2, 12–13, and in several earlier …
- … Württemberg Germany) i. September 1879. Most esteemed Sir! Herewith I am sending you my …
- … in Württemberg 34: 155–77. Hahn, Otto. 1879. Die Urzelle . Tübingen: H. Laupp’schen. O’ …
From Ernst Krause 1 September 1879
Summary
Acquaintances say principal contents of Seward book should be recounted in German edition of Erasmus Darwin.
Will CD check MS for errors?
Author: | Ernst Ludwig (Ernst) Krause |
Addressee: | Charles Robert Darwin |
Date: | 1 Sept 1879 |
Classmark: | DAR 92: B37–8 |
Letter no: | DCP-LETT-12208 |
Matches: 9 hits
- … From Ernst Krause 1 September 1879 …
- … DAR 92: B37–8 Ernst Ludwig (Ernst) Krause Berlin 1 Sept 1879 Charles Robert Darwin …
- … 7 June 1879 ). Karl Alberts worked for the firm of Ernst Günther, the publisher of Krause …
- … 1880 . CD’s annotations are notes for his reply to Krause of 3 September [1879] . …
- … Bibliography Butler, Samuel. 1879. Evolution, old and new: or, the theories of Buffon, Dr. …
- … Dr. Darwin ( Seward 1804 ). See letter to Ernst Krause, 13 August 1879 , and letter from …
- … Ernst Krause, 16 August 1879 . Evolution old and new …
- … by Samuel Butler ( S. Butler 1879 ; see letters from …
- … Ernst Krause, 23 May 1879 and …
To W. T. Thiselton-Dyer 1 September [1879]
Summary
Wants a plant that shows interesting sleep movements identified.
Author: | Charles Robert Darwin |
Addressee: | William Turner Thiselton-Dyer |
Date: | 1 Sept [1879] |
Classmark: | Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew (Darwin: Letters to Thiselton-Dyer, 1873–81: ff. 182–3). Thiselton-Dyer, W. T. Letters: folio 184. Image reproduced with the kind permission of the Board of Trustees of the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. |
Letter no: | DCP-LETT-12209 |
Matches: 5 hits
- … To W. T. Thiselton-Dyer 1 September [1879] …
- … in Coniston in the Lake District from 2 to 27 August 1879 (CD’s ‘Journal’ (Appendix II)). …
- … Gardens, Kew. Charles Robert Darwin Down 1 Sept [1879] William Turner Thiselton-Dyer …
- … Britain. CD replaced his head gardener, Henry Lettington , later in 1879 (see letter to J. …
- … D. Hooker, 1 October [1879] , n. 2). The …
To F. B. Goodacre 2 September 1879
Summary
Will do nothing with the geese until he hears from FBG. Is glad FBG intends to publish his results.
Author: | Charles Robert Darwin |
Addressee: | Francis Burges Goodacre |
Date: | 2 Sept 1879 |
Classmark: | Dr John Goodacre (private collection) |
Letter no: | DCP-LETT-12214 |
Matches: 9 hits
- … To F. B. Goodacre 2 September 1879 …
- … letter to Nature , 21 January 1880, p. 207 ( see letter to Nature , 15 December [1879] ). …
- … private collection) Charles Robert Darwin Down 2 Sept 1879 Francis Burges Goodacre …
- … Bibliography Goodacre, Francis Burges. 1879. On the question of the identity of species of …
- … the common domestic and the Chinese goose. [Read 18 November 1879. ] Proceedings …
- … of the Zoological Society of London (1879): 710–12. …
- … letter from F. B. Goodacre, 1 September 1879 . Alfred Meadows . Goodacre published a short …
- … in Proceedings of the Zoological Society of London ( Goodacre 1879 ; see letter from F. …
- … B. Goodacre, 1 September 1879 and n. 4). CD’s note was eventually published in …
To Ernst Haeckel 2 September 1879
Summary
Invites EH to spend night at Down.
Author: | Charles Robert Darwin |
Addressee: | Ernst Philipp August (Ernst) Haeckel |
Date: | 2 Sept 1879 |
Classmark: | Ernst-Haeckel-Haus (Bestand A-Abt. 1: 1–52/49 [A 9903]) |
Letter no: | DCP-LETT-12212 |
Matches: 5 hits
- … To Ernst Haeckel 2 September 1879 …
- … A 9903]) Charles Robert Darwin Down 2 Sept 1879 Ernst Philipp August (Ernst) Haeckel …
- … See letter from Ernst Haeckel, 30 August 1879 . Haeckel stayed …
- … at Down House from 5 to 6 September 1879 ( Emma Darwin’s diary (DAR 242)). …
- … Railway Station | Orpington. S.E.R. Sep 2. 1879 My dear Haeckel, I shall be delighted to …
To C.-F. Reinwald 2 September [1879]
Summary
Until C-FR sees the whole of Erasmus Darwin, he cannot decide if it is worth translating into French.
Author: | Charles Robert Darwin |
Addressee: | Charles-Ferdinand Reinwald |
Date: | 2 Sept [1879] |
Classmark: | Sotheby’s (dealers) (catalogue LN7755, 11 December 1997) |
Letter no: | DCP-LETT-12214F |
Matches: 6 hits
- … To C. -F. Reinwald 2 September [1879] …
- … 11 December 1997) Charles Robert Darwin 2 Sept [1879] Down Charles-Ferdinand Reinwald …
- … by W. S. Dallas, with a preliminary notice by Charles Darwin. London: John Murray. 1879. …
- … see letter from V. H. Darwin, 4 April 1879 , n. 3). This incomplete sentence and the …
- … the letter to C. -F. Reinwald, 11 September 1879 . Reinwald had expressed an interest in …
- … Darwin (see letter to Ernst Krause, 5 [May] 1879 ). This paragraph has been taken from a …
From Hugo de Vries 2 September 1879
Summary
Force of turgor is true cause of movement in plants. HdeV hopes to identify the substance which increases the cell’s water-absorbing power.
Author: | Hugo de Vries |
Addressee: | Charles Robert Darwin |
Date: | 2 Sept 1879 |
Classmark: | DAR 180: 23 |
Letter no: | DCP-LETT-12213 |
Matches: 11 hits
- … From Hugo de Vries 2 September 1879 …
- … of Agrostemma githago , common corncockle (see letter to Hugo de Vries, 12 August 1879 ). …
- … DAR 180: 23 Hugo de Vries Amsterdam 2 Sept 1879 Charles Robert Darwin …
- … Bibliography Vries, Hugo de. 1879. Ueber die inneren Vorgänge bei den …
- … Organe. Botanische Zeitung , 19 December 1879, pp. 830–8. Vries, Hugo de. 1880. Ueber die …
- … See letter to Hugo de Vries, 12 August 1879 . De Vries experimented with Sicyos lobata . …
- … See letter from Hugo de Vries, 7 August 1879 . De Vries uses ‘parenchyme’ to denote the …
- … collenchyme’ denotes the hardened tissue (see letter from Hugo de Vries, 7 August 1879 ). …
- … Vries 1879 and Vries 1880 (see letter …
- … from Hugo de Vries, 7 August 1879 and n. 6). Lychnis githago …
- … Amsterdam, Kerklaan 9 2 Septem— 1879. My dear Sir I was very much pleased to see from your …
From Ernst Haeckel 3 September 1879
Summary
Arranges to visit Down.
Author: | Ernst Philipp August (Ernst) Haeckel |
Addressee: | Charles Robert Darwin |
Date: | 3 Sept 1879 |
Classmark: | DAR 166: 74 |
Letter no: | DCP-LETT-12215 |
To Ernst Krause 3 September [1879]
Summary
Urges EK to do as he thinks best about German edition of Erasmus Darwin. CD sends original of EK’s essay and translation of parts he has not used.
Author: | Charles Robert Darwin |
Addressee: | Ernst Ludwig (Ernst) Krause |
Date: | 3 Sept [1879] |
Classmark: | The Huntington Library (HM 36193) |
Letter no: | DCP-LETT-12216 |
Matches: 9 hits
- … To Ernst Krause 3 September [1879] …
- … Library (HM 36193) Charles Robert Darwin Down 3 Sept [1879] Ernst Ludwig (Ernst) Krause …
- … see letter from W. S. Dallas, 28 August 1879 ). Krause had included a history of descent …
- … and Krause had asked for it back (see letters to Ernst Krause, 13 August 1879 and …
- … 19 August [1879] ). …
- … by Charles Darwin. London: John Murray. 1879. Krause, Ernst. 1879a. Erasmus Darwin, der …
- … relationship between this letter and the letter from Ernst Krause, 1 September 1879 . See …
- … letter from Ernst Krause, 1 September 1879 . Krause was preparing a German edition of …
- … Darwin ( letter to Ernst Krause, 5 [May] 1879 . William Sweetland Dallas had translated …
From John Murray 3 September [1879]
Summary
Likes CD’s memoir of his grandfather and offers to publish 1000 copies at his own risk, giving half the profits to CD.
Author: | John Murray |
Addressee: | Charles Robert Darwin |
Date: | 3 Sept [1879] |
Classmark: | DAR 92: B12–13 |
Letter no: | DCP-LETT-12217 |
Matches: 7 hits
- … From John Murray 3 September [1879] …
- … DAR 92: B12–13 John Murray London, Albemarle St, 50 3 Sept [1879] Charles Robert Darwin …
- … by W. S. Dallas, with a preliminary notice by Charles Darwin. London: John Murray. 1879. …
- … and the letter to John Murray, 4 September 1879 . CD had written a biographical sketch to …
- … Krause (see letter to John Murray, 2 June 1879). On the portrait used for the frontispiece …
- … of Erasmus Darwin , see the letter from V. H. Darwin, 4 April 1879 , n. 3. On …
- … see the letter to Ernst Krause, 14 March 1879 , n. 6. The memorandum has not been found. …
To Ernst Haeckel [4 September 1879]
Summary
Confirms details of EH’s visit to Down.
Author: | Charles Robert Darwin |
Addressee: | Ernst Philipp August (Ernst) Haeckel |
Date: | [4 Sept 1879] |
Classmark: | Ernst-Haeckel-Haus (Bestand A-Abt. 1: 1–52/49b [A 47730]) |
Letter no: | DCP-LETT-12218F |
To John Murray 4 September 1879
Summary
Though not sanguine about sale [of Erasmus Darwin] it seems fair that if over 1500 copies are sold he should receive two-thirds profit. If JM does not agree, he would prefer publishing on commission or asking Macmillan if they will give him larger profits.
Author: | Charles Robert Darwin |
Addressee: | John Murray |
Date: | 4 Sept 1879 |
Classmark: | National Library of Scotland (John Murray Archive) (Ms. 42152 ff. 358–9) |
Letter no: | DCP-LETT-12218 |
Matches: 9 hits
- … To John Murray 4 September 1879 …
- … Murray Archive) (Ms. 42152 ff. 358–9) Charles Robert Darwin Down 4 Sept 1879 John Murray …
- … by W. S. Dallas, with a preliminary notice by Charles Darwin. London: John Murray. 1879. …
- … of Erasmus Darwin , see the letter from V. H. Darwin, 4 April 1879 , n. 3. On …
- … the Autotype Company of London, see the letter to Ernst Krause, 14 March 1879 , n. 6. …
- … letter from John Murray, 3 September [1879] . For CD’s original proposal and reservations …
- … see the letter to John Murray, 2 June 1879 . Ernst Krause was co-author of Erasmus …
- … see the letter to Ernst Krause, 13 August 1879 . On the portrait used for the frontispiece …
- … Railway Station | Orpington. S.E.R. Sep 4. 1879 My dear M r Murray, I am sorry to have …
From R. F. Cooke 6 September 1879
Author: | Robert Francis Cooke; John Murray |
Addressee: | Charles Robert Darwin |
Date: | 6 Sept 1879 |
Classmark: | DAR 92: B5–6 |
Letter no: | DCP-LETT-12219 |
Matches: 8 hits
- … From R. F. Cooke 6 September 1879 …
- … Francis Cooke John Murray London, Albemarle St, 50a 6 Sept 1879 Charles Robert Darwin …
- … by Charles Darwin. London: John Murray. 1879. Freeman, Richard Broke. 1977. The works of …
- … edges’ ( letter to John Murray, 2 June 1879 ). Charles Lyell’s Principles of geology was …
- … terms for the profits of Erasmus Darwin in his letter to John Murray, 2 June 1879 . See …
- … also letter from John Murray, 3 September [1879] , and letter to …
- … John Murray, 4 September 1879 . John Murray’s annual sale dinner was held in November ( …
- … Erasmus Darwin (see letter to John Murray, 4 September 1879 and n. 6). CD had requested ‘ …
To Hugo de Vries 6 September 1879
Summary
Perhaps movement from side to side in plants is caused by the contraction of one side, rather than the expansion of the other.
Sends seeds of Lychnis Githago: he observed the hypocotyledenous stem, not the root, contracting.
Author: | Charles Robert Darwin |
Addressee: | Hugo de Vries |
Date: | 6 Sept 1879 |
Classmark: | Artis Library (De Vries 7) |
Letter no: | DCP-LETT-12219F |
Matches: 7 hits
- … To Hugo de Vries 6 September 1879 …
- … Artis Library (De Vries 7) Charles Robert Darwin 6 Sept 1879 Down Hugo de Vries …
- … common corncockle. See letter to Hugo de Vries, 12 August 1879 , and letter from Hugo …
- … de Vries, 2 September 1879 . …
- … See letter from Hugo de Vries, 2 September 1879 . Francis Darwin . Oscillatoria is a genus …
- … more on De Vries’s theory of turgor, see the letters from Hugo de Vries, 7 August 1879 and …
- … 2 September 1879 . On contraction of the leaf-cells in Drosera (sundew) and Dionaea (Venus …
From Victor Marshall 7 September 1879
Summary
VAEGM pleased CD enjoyed his stay at Coniston.
Reports some rude remarks about CD made by John Ruskin.
Author: | Victor Alexander Ernest Garth (Victor) Marshall |
Addressee: | Charles Robert Darwin |
Date: | 7 Sept 1879 |
Classmark: | DAR 171: 46 |
Letter no: | DCP-LETT-12220 |
Matches: 5 hits
- … From Victor Marshall 7 September 1879 …
- … Alexander Ernest Garth (Victor) Marshall Ambleside 7 Sept 1879 Charles Robert Darwin …
- … Monk Coniston, Ambleside. Sept r 7. 1879 Dear Mr Darwin I have just come back, but have …
- … in the Lake District from 2 to 27 August 1879 (CD’s ‘Journal’ (Appendix II)). The hotel …
- … see letter to Victor Marshall, 25 August 1879 ). Burnet ( Sanguisorba minor ) is a plant …
From F. B. Goodacre 8 September 1879
Author: | Francis Burges Goodacre |
Addressee: | Charles Robert Darwin |
Date: | 8 Sept 1879 |
Classmark: | DAR 165: 68 |
Letter no: | DCP-LETT-12221 |
To R. F. Cooke 9 September 1879
Summary
Pleased that JM will allow two-thirds profits [on Erasmus Darwin] for he wants Krause to receive some profit.
He and his son [Francis] are preparing a large botanical work [Movement in plants], dry as dust, which he must publish on commission. He will be lucky to lose only £100.
Author: | Charles Robert Darwin |
Addressee: | Robert Francis Cooke; John Murray |
Date: | 9 Sept 1879 |
Classmark: | National Library of Scotland (John Murray Archive) (Ms. 42152 ff. 360–1) |
Letter no: | DCP-LETT-12222 |
Matches: 7 hits
- … To R. F. Cooke 9 September 1879 …
- … 42152 ff. 360–1) Charles Robert Darwin Down 9 Sept 1879 Robert Francis Cooke John Murray …
- … the Lake District from 2 to 27 August 1879 (CD’s ‘Journal’ (Appendix II)). CD was working …
- … by Charles Darwin. London: John Murray. 1879. Krause, Ernst. 1879a. Erasmus Darwin, der …
- … Krause ( Krause 1879a ). See letter to John Murray, 4 September 1879 , and letter from R. …
- … F. Cooke, 6 September 1879 . The Autotype Company produced the frontispiece of Erasmus …
- … see letter to John Murray, 4 September 1879 and n. 6). Leonard Darwin was an instructor of …
To F. B. Goodacre 10 September [1879]
Summary
Has sent some geese.
Author: | Charles Robert Darwin |
Addressee: | Francis Burges Goodacre |
Date: | 10 Sept [1879] |
Classmark: | Dr John Goodacre (private collection) |
Letter no: | DCP-LETT-12224 |
Matches: 4 hits
From Hugo de Vries 10 September 1879
Summary
Movement of tentacles of Drosera.
Author: | Hugo de Vries |
Addressee: | Charles Robert Darwin |
Date: | 10 Sept 1879 |
Classmark: | DAR 180: 24 |
Letter no: | DCP-LETT-12223 |
Matches: 7 hits
- … From Hugo de Vries 10 September 1879 …
- … DAR 180: 24 Hugo de Vries Amsterdam 10 Sept 1879 Charles Robert Darwin …
- … to the letter to De Vries of 6 September 1879 has not been found; the whole letter is in …
- … See letter to Hugo de Vries, 6 September 1879 . Lychnis githago is a synonym of Agrostemma …
- … blue-green algae. See letter to Hugo de Vries, 6 September 1879 and n. 3. Drosera is the …
- … genus of sundews. See letter to Hugo de Vries, 6 September 1879 and n. 4. …
- … Amsterdam 10 Sept 1879 My Dear Sir! I thank you very much for your kind letter, and for …
letter | (38) |
Darwin, C. R. | (18) |
Dallas, W. S. | (3) |
Cooke, R. F. | (2) |
Goodacre, F. B. | (2) |
John Murray | (2) |
Darwin, C. R. | (20) |
Goodacre, F. B. | (2) |
Haeckel, Ernst | (2) |
Krause, Ernst | (2) |
Reinwald, C.-F. | (2) |
Darwin, C. R. | (38) |
Goodacre, F. B. | (4) |
Krause, Ernst | (4) |
Cooke, R. F. | (3) |
Dallas, W. S. | (3) |

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: 29 hits
- … There are summaries of all Darwin's letters from the year 1879 on this website. The full texts …
- … Press . Darwin spent a considerable part of 1879 in the eighteenth century. His journey back …
- … was ‘dry as dust’ ( letter to R. F. Cooke, 9 September 1879 ). He was also unsatisfied with his …
- … me much’ ( letter to Francis Galton, 15 [June 1879] ). Even the prospect of a holiday in the Lake …
- … ( letter to W. T. Thiselton-Dyer, [after 26] July [1879] ). From July, Darwin had an additional …
- … ‘a dismal time’ ( letter to Henry Johnson, 24 September 1879 ). He may have been consoled to learn …
- … pear’ ( enclosure in letter from R. W. Dixon, 20 December 1879 ). The year ended with the start of …
- … or gone some other way round?’ At least the last letter of 1879 contained a warmer note and the …
- … marriage settlement ( letter from W. M. Hacon, 31 December 1879 ). Seventy years old …
- … could be’ ( letter from Karl Beger, [ c. 12 February 1879] ). The masters of Greiz College …
- … with glory’ ( letter from Ernst Haeckel, 9 February 1879 ). The botanist and schoolteacher …
- … was carbon’ ( letter from Hermann Müller, 14 February 1879 ). Carus Sterne was the …
- … ( letter from Francis Darwin, [after 2 June 1879 ]). As one of Darwin’s most ardent admirers, …
- … he pointed out ( letter from E. A. Darwin, 13 March [1879 ]). Meanwhile, Darwin began searching …
- … my grandfathers life’ ( letter to Ernst Krause, 14 March 1879 ). While searching for Seward …
- … time Darwin came to investigate his grandfather’s life in 1879, however, not only was Erasmus Darwin …
- … where, & the who—’ ( letter from V. H. Darwin, 28 May [1879] ). On the Galton side of the …
- … in every way’ ( letter from E. A. Wheler, 25 March 1879 ). She suggested that Darwin contact their …
- … with pride’ ( letter from Reginald Darwin, 29 March 1879 ). It was from Reginald that …
- … with each other’ ( letter to Ernst Krause, 27 March 1879 ). Darwin’s aim was ‘to give some sort of …
- … indispensable’ ( letter from Ernst Krause, 7 June 1879 ). Darwin welcomed Krause’s suggestion, but …
- … He hates scientific men’ ( letter to Ernst Krause, 14 May 1879 ). From the start of his …
- … to the public’ ( letter to Reginald Darwin, 10 April [1879] ). However, even members of Darwin’s …
- … with little fatigue’ ( letter to G. H. Darwin, 12 July 1879 , and letter from Leonard Darwin, …
- … life of D r . D’ ( letter to Francis Darwin, 12 July [1879] ). It was little consolation that …
- … his ‘tether’ ( letter to W. T. Thiselton-Dyer, 5 June 1879 , and letter to G. H. Darwin, 12 July …
- … of his ‘proper work’ ( letter to James Paget, 14 July 1879 ). At this time, his proper work was …
- … they intended to publish their results as a book. By June 1879, Darwin was completing an …
- … roots of seedlings ( letter to Francis Darwin, 16 June [1879] ). Francis in Würzburg …

1879 Letters now online
Summary
In 1879, Darwin continued his research on movement in plants and researched, wrote, and published a short biography of his grandfather Erasmus Darwin as an introduction to a translation of an essay by Ernst Krause on Erasmus’s scientific work. Darwin’s son…
Matches: 8 hits
- … In 1879, Darwin continued his research on movement in plants and researched, …
- … of over 640 letters written to and from Darwin in 1879 are now online. Read more about Darwin& …
- … such a job. ( Letter to J. D. Hooker, 1 December [1879] ) In early 1879, as a tribute …
- … . ( Letter to the Darwin children, 21 February 1879 ) Just over a week after his …
- … irritations ( Letter t o Francis Darwin, 2 July [1879] ) Darwin regarded his …
- … the country . ( Letter to T. H. Farrer, 23 October 1879 ) During the year Darwin …
- … of the theory of natural selection. Nothing came of it in 1879, but it was to bear fruit later. He …
- … strong health . ( Letter to T. H. Farrer, 13 October 1879 ) Darwin wrote this to his …

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
- … map of the sandhills in central Sweden, 16 February 1879 C. W. Hamilton's …

Darwin in letters, 1880: Sensitivity and worms
Summary
‘My heart & soul care for worms & nothing else in this world,’ Darwin wrote to his old Shrewsbury friend Henry Johnson on 14 November 1880. Darwin became fully devoted to earthworms in the spring of the year, just after finishing the manuscript of…
Matches: 8 hits
- … book, Erasmus Darwin , had been published in November 1879. It was received well by his relations …
- … he had written for the German journal Kosmos in February 1879, an issue produced in honour of …
- … Butler, Evolution old and new , which had appeared in May 1879. Krause wanted to correct Butler’s …
- … Correspondence vol. 27, letter from Ernst Krause, 7 June 1879 , and letter to Ernst Krause, 9 …
- … Darwin stated that Krause’s piece had been written in 1879 (before Evolution old and new was …
- … had raised the plant from seeds sent by Asa Gray in December 1879. His observations differed, …
- … by Gray in an article and textbook (A. Gray 1877 and A. Gray 1879, pp. 20–1). ‘I think you cannot …
- … vol. 27, letter from J. D. Hooker, 18 December 1879 ). For some years, Wallace’s main source of …

Movement in Plants
Summary
The power of movement in plants, published on 7 November 1880, was the final large botanical work that Darwin wrote. It was the only work in which the assistance of one of his children, Francis Darwin, is mentioned on the title page. The research for this…
Matches: 12 hits
- … Francis worked in this laboratory in the summers of 1878 and 1879, he encountered some of the most …
- … couple of days ( letter from A. F. Batalin, 28 February 1879 ). Darwin was especially keen for his …
- … so much at odds ( letter to Hugo de Vries 13 February 1879 ). He was reassured by De Vries, who …
- … When Francis spent a month in Algiers in early 1879, Darwin asked him to visit the botanist Gaetano …
- … seeds ( letter to Francis Darwin, [4 February – 8 March 1879] ). He continued to write up the …
- … ’. The lull in experimental work continued into March 1879, and Darwin seemed weary when he told …
- … the subject of bloom from his book. In mid-June 1879, Darwin was pleased to get back to …
- … and growth ( letter from Hugo de Vries, 7 August 1879 ). Darwin replied, ‘ I thank you much for …
- … the Spring ’. Luckily, De Vries published two papers in 1879 and 1880 that Darwin was later able to …
- … ‘A horrid bore’ In late October 1879, Darwin told Gray, ‘ I have written a rather big …
- … bodies’ ( letter to W. T. Thiselton-Dyer, 29 October 1879 ). Thiselton-Dyer, who had assisted in …
- … earlier ( letter to W. T. Thiselton-Dyer, 20 November 1879 ). Hooker offered to write to Egypt for …
Darwin’s student booklist
Summary
In October 1825 Charles Darwin and his older brother, Erasmus, went to study medicine in Edinburgh, where their father, Robert Waring Darwin, had trained as a doctor in the 1780’s. Erasmus had already graduated from Cambridge and was continuing his studies…
Matches: 1 hits
- … it was first published in 1804. On rereading this work in 1879 Darwin judged it ‘a wretched …
1.14 William Richmond, oil
Summary
< Back to Introduction William Blake Richmond’s portrait of Darwin, dating from 1879, celebrated his honorary degree of LL.D (Doctor in Laws), awarded by Cambridge University in 1877. Darwin’s return to his alma mater for the presentation ceremony…
Matches: 4 hits
- … William Blake Richmond’s portrait of Darwin, dating from 1879, celebrated his honorary degree of LL …
- … Oxford in this same year. In a letter of 18 June 1879, Darwin told Thiselton-Dyer (Hooker’s …
- … William Blake Richmond date of creation 1879-80 computer-readable date 1879 …
- … in DAR 215.31b. Letters from Darwin to John Fiske, 10 June 1879 (DCP-LETT-12098) and to Thiselton …

Life of Erasmus Darwin
Summary
The Life of Erasmus Darwin (1879) was a curious departure for Darwin. It was intended as a biographical note to accompany an essay on Erasmus's scientific work by the German writer Ernst Krause. But Darwin became immersed in his grandfather's…
Matches: 5 hits
- … The Life of Erasmus Darwin (1879) was a curious departure for Darwin. It was intended as a …
- … the book into grist for controversy. In February 1879, Darwin received an unusual birthday …
- … my grandfathers life ', Darwin wrote to Krause on 14 March 1879. He made contact with family …
- … my tether '. The book was published in November of 1879. Darwin filled his notice with …
- … whose Evolution Old and New had been published in May of 1879, had not failed to find the …

Power of movement in plants
Summary
Sources|Discussion Questions|Experiment Family experiments Darwin was an active and engaged father during his children's youth, involving them in his experiments and even occasionally using them as observational subjects. When his children…
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- … Letter 12152 - Francis Darwin to Darwin, 12 July 1879 Francis writes to his father …

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...
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- … 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. …
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.…
3.18 Elliott and Fry photos, c.1869-1871
Summary
< Back to Introduction The leading photographic firm of Elliott and Fry seems to have portrayed Darwin at Down House on several occasions. In November 1869 Darwin told A. B. Meyer, who wanted photographs of both him and Wallace for a German…
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…
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- … Letter 12041 — Darwin, C. R. to Fordyce, John, 7 May 1879 In this letter marked “private”, …
3.16 Oscar Rejlander, photos
Summary
< Back to Introduction Darwin’s plans for the illustration of his book The Expression of the Emotions in Man and Animals (1872) led him to the Swedish-born painter and photographer, Oscar Gustaf Rejlander. Rejlander gave Darwin the notes that he had…
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- … Litchfield to a family servant as her leaving present in 1879. Henry Eeles Dresser’s album of …
3.14 Julia Margaret Cameron, photos
Summary
< Back to Introduction In the summer of 1868 Darwin took a holiday on the Isle of Wight with his immediate family, his brother Erasmus, and his friend Joseph Hooker. The family’s accommodation at Freshwater was rented from the photographer Julia…
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- … in his journal after an encounter with the great man in 1879, ‘his features are not good’; yet ‘his …
4.24 'Daily Graphic', Nast satire
Summary
< Back to Introduction In 1874 the Harvard philosopher John Fiske published his magnum opus, Outlines of Cosmic Philosophy, in which he set out to explain the far-reaching significance of Darwin’s and Herbert Spencer’s evolutionary theories. He…
Suggested reading
Summary
Contemporary writing Anon., The English matron: A practical manual for young wives, (London, 1846). Anon., The English gentlewoman: A practical manual for young ladies on their entrance to society, (Third edition, London, 1846). Becker, L. E.…
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- … Buckley, A., The fairy-land of science , (London, 1879; Philadelphia 1888). Holmes, M. …
1.12 Marian Huxley, drawing
Summary
< Back to Introduction Portrayals of Darwin by women in his social circle cannot be lumped together as the products of adoring amateurs. In 1878 he was sketched by Marian (‘Mady’) Huxley, who was then only in her late teens, but already a trained and…
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- … her early teens (she won several prizes there); nor that in 1879 she had parental blessing for her …
Dramatisation script
Summary
Re: Design – Adaptation of the Correspondence of Charles Darwin, Asa Gray and others… by Craig Baxter – as performed 25 March 2007
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- … 1872 208 JD HOOKER TO C DARWIN, 29 NOVEMBER 1879 209 A GRAY, 1882, …