From Lawson Tait 16 June [1875]
Summary
Is waiting impatiently for the appearance of CD’s book [Insectivorous plants].
| Author: | Robert Lawson (Lawson) Tait |
| Addressee: | Charles Robert Darwin |
| Date: | 16 June [1875] |
| Classmark: | DAR 178: 11 |
| Letter no: | DCP-LETT-10020 |
Matches: 6 hits
- … Charles Darwin. London: John Murray. 1875. Tait, Lawson. 1879–80. Notes on the structures …
- … of pitcher plants. Midland Naturalist 2 (1879): 265–8, 295–7; 3 (1880): 5–8, 58–62. …
- … Tait, Lawson. 1879. Researches on the digestive principles …
- … of plants. [Read 22 May 1879. ] Proceedings of the Birmingham Philosophical Society 1 ( …
- … Researches on the digestive principles of plants’ ( Tait 1879 ), and ‘Notes on the …
- … structures of pitcher plants’ ( Tait 1879–80 ). CD’s offprint of the latter paper is in …
From Lawson Tait 15 July [1875]
Summary
Has read Insectivorous plants and is to review it for the Spectator.
| Author: | Robert Lawson (Lawson) Tait |
| Addressee: | Charles Robert Darwin |
| Date: | 15 July [1875] |
| Classmark: | DAR 178: 14 |
| Letter no: | DCP-LETT-10066 |
Matches: 6 hits
- … Charles Darwin. London: John Murray. 1875. Tait, Lawson. 1879–80. Notes on the structures …
- … of pitcher plants. Midland Naturalist 2 (1879): 265–8, 295–7; 3 (1880): 5–8, 58–62. …
- … the name ‘droserin’ to the substance in later reports of his experiments ( Tait 1879 ; …
- … Tait 1879–80 ; Nature , 30 September 1880, p. 521). …
- … Tait, Lawson. 1879. Researches on the digestive principles …
- … of plants. [Read 22 May 1879. ] Proceedings of the Birmingham Philosophical Society 1 ( …
From Hugo de Vries 17 November 1875
Summary
Hopes to continue study of climbing plants next summer and to observe facts mentioned in CD’s letter.
| Author: | Hugo de Vries |
| Addressee: | Charles Robert Darwin |
| Date: | 17 Nov 1875 |
| Classmark: | DAR 180: 20 |
| Letter no: | DCP-LETT-10264 |
To Arthur Nicols [before 10 November 1875]
Summary
Does not doubt animals reason in a practical fashion. Do not the rats hear the water trickling?
| Author: | Charles Robert Darwin |
| Addressee: | Robert Arthur (Arthur) Nicols |
| Date: | [before 10 Nov 1875] |
| Classmark: | Nature, 20 February 1879, p. 365 |
| Letter no: | DCP-LETT-10253F |
Matches: 1 hit
- … Nature , 20 February 1879, p. 365 Charles Robert Darwin [before 10 Nov 1875] Robert …
From Lawson Tait 25 November [1875]
Summary
RLT’s paper on insectivorous plants is being copied.
| Author: | Robert Lawson (Lawson) Tait |
| Addressee: | Charles Robert Darwin |
| Date: | 25 Nov [1875] |
| Classmark: | DAR 178: 25 |
| Letter no: | DCP-LETT-10277 |
From Lawson Tait 23 November [1875]
Summary
RLT’s paper will be sent to CD. Will CD notify him of any serious defects?
| Author: | Robert Lawson (Lawson) Tait |
| Addressee: | Charles Robert Darwin |
| Date: | 23 Nov [1875] |
| Classmark: | DAR 178: 26 |
| Letter no: | DCP-LETT-10274 |
To Lawson Tait 4 June [1875]
Summary
CD’s observations on the power of movement and transmission of motor impulses in plants. If RLT succeeds with the tails of mice, it will be "a beautiful little discovery"; CD will enjoy it the more "because some German sneered at natural selection and instanced the tail of the mouse" [see 10013].
| Author: | Charles Robert Darwin |
| Addressee: | Robert Lawson (Lawson) Tait |
| Date: | 4 June [1875] |
| Classmark: | Natural History Museum, Library and Archives (General Special Collections DC AL 1/19) |
| Letter no: | DCP-LETT-10009 |
To Mr S. 11 September [1875–81]
Summary
Sends a photograph.
| Author: | Charles Robert Darwin |
| Addressee: | Johannes Japetus Smith (Japetus) Steenstrup |
| Date: | 11 Sept [1875-81] |
| Classmark: | Kantonsbibliothek Vadiana (VadSlg NL 202: 33: 27q) |
| Letter no: | DCP-LETT-9632F |
Matches: 1 hit
- … 1876 11 Sept 1877 11 Sept 1878 11 Sept 1879 11 Sept 1880 11 Sept 1881 Johannes Japetus …
To John Price 18 September [1875–81]
Summary
Working on plant physiology; has not strength to discuss difficult subject with anyone.
| Author: | Charles Robert Darwin |
| Addressee: | John Price |
| Date: | 18 Sept [1875-9] |
| Classmark: | DAR 147: 277 |
| Letter no: | DCP-LETT-13835 |
Matches: 1 hit
- … Darwin Down 18 Sept 1875 18 Sept 1876 18 Sept 1877 18 Sept 1878 18 Sept 1879 John Price …
To H. B. Wheatley? 16 September [1875–81]
Summary
Requesting two books, Lafitau 1724 and Tanner 1830.
| Author: | Charles Robert Darwin |
| Addressee: | Henry Benjamin Wheatley |
| Date: | 16 Sept [1875-81] |
| Classmark: | J. A. Stargardt (dealers) (5 April 2022, lot 148) |
| Letter no: | DCP-LETT-10158F |
Matches: 1 hit
- … Sept 1876 16 Sept 1877 16 Sept 1878 16 Sept 1879 16 Sept 1880 16 Sept 1881 Henry Benjamin …
To ? 30 June [1875–81]
Summary
Asks for copy of [unspecified] essay, but will not answer it.
| Author: | Charles Robert Darwin |
| Addressee: | Unidentified |
| Date: | 30 June [1875-81] |
| Classmark: | American Philosophical Society (Mss.B.D25.496) |
| Letter no: | DCP-LETT-10552 |
Matches: 1 hit
- … 30 June 1876 30 June 1877 30 June 1878 30 June 1879 30 June 1880 30 June 1881 Unidentified …
To Pieter Harting 18 July [1875–81]
Summary
Sends photographs.
| Author: | Charles Robert Darwin |
| Addressee: | Pieter Harting |
| Date: | 18 July [1875-81] |
| Classmark: | Leiden University Libraries (BPL 1938) |
| Letter no: | DCP-LETT-11062 |
Matches: 1 hit
- … July 1875 18 July 1876 18 July 1877 18 July 1878 18 July 1879 18 July 1880 Pieter Harting …
To ? 3 February [1875–82?]
Summary
Asks that enclosed letter be posted for him.
| Author: | Charles Robert Darwin |
| Addressee: | Unidentified |
| Date: | 3 Feb [1875-82] |
| Classmark: | DAR 249: 124 |
| Letter no: | DCP-LETT-13889B |
Matches: 1 hit
- … 3 Feb 1876 3 Feb 1877 3 Feb 1878 3 Feb 1879 3 Feb 1880 3 Feb 1881 3 Feb 1882 Unidentified …
To John Murray 23 January [1875–82]
Summary
Thanks for two German letters about translations, which he has answered. The enclosed one contains a proposal for CD’s correspondent to bring out a translation of a very successful German book, and must be answered by the correspondent.
| Author: | Charles Robert Darwin |
| Addressee: | John Murray |
| Date: | 23 Jan [1875-82] |
| Classmark: | Swann Auction Galleries (dealers) (14 September 1993) |
| Letter no: | DCP-LETT-9828F |
Matches: 1 hit
- … 23 Jan 1876 23 Jan 1877 23 Jan 1878 23 Jan 1879 23 Jan 1880 23 Jan 1881 23 Jan 1882 John …
To ? 23 January [1875–82]
Summary
Turns down an offer to undertake a German translation of one of his works.
| Author: | Charles Robert Darwin |
| Addressee: | Unidentified |
| Date: | 23 Jan [1875-81] |
| Classmark: | Sotheby’s (dealers) (11 July 2017) |
| Letter no: | DCP-LETT-9828G |
Matches: 1 hit
- … 1875 23 Jan 1876 23 Jan 1877 23 Jan 1878 23 Jan 1879 23 Jan 1880 23 Jan 1881 Unidentified …
To ? 8 April [1875–82]
Summary
Explains that there is no need for the addressee to apologise.
| Author: | Charles Robert Darwin |
| Addressee: | Unidentified |
| Date: | 8 Apr [1875-82] |
| Classmark: | Jane da Mosto (private collection) |
| Letter no: | DCP-LETT-9917F |
Matches: 1 hit
- … 8 Apr 1876 8 Apr 1877 8 Apr 1878 8 Apr 1879 8 Apr 1880 8 Apr 1881 8 Apr 1882 Unidentified …
To T. M. Story-Maskelyne 27 August [1875–81]
Summary
Explains that the plant is not consuming the flies, but that they die becasue they get stuck in the flowers when fertilising them.
| Author: | Charles Robert Darwin |
| Addressee: | Thereza Mary Llewelyn; Thereza Mary Story-Maskelyne |
| Date: | 27 Aug [1875-81] |
| Classmark: | The British Library (Add MS 88953/4) |
| Letter no: | DCP-LETT-10136F |
Matches: 1 hit
- … 1875 27 Aug 1876 27 Aug 1877 27 Aug 1878 27 Aug 1879 27 Aug 1880 27 Aug 1881 Thereza Mary …
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 |
Matches: 1 hit
- … 22 June 1876 22 June 1877 22 June 1878 22 June 1879 22 June 1880 22 June 1881 Unidentified …
To W. C. Marshall 9 June [1875–81]
Summary
Asks questions about earthworms.
| Author: | Charles Robert Darwin |
| Addressee: | William Cecil (Bill) Marshall |
| Date: | 9 June [1875-81] |
| Classmark: | American Philosophical Society (Mss.B.D25.) |
| Letter no: | DCP-LETT-11549 |
Matches: 1 hit
- … 9 June [1877] 9 June [1878] 9 June [1879] 9 June [1880] 9 June [1881] William Cecil (Bill) …
From G. G. Bianconi 1 February 1875
Summary
At work on new editions of his books against CD’s theory [La teoria dell’uomo-scimmia (1864); La théorie darwinienne (1874)]. Had hoped to receive CD’s comments, as earlier promised; they would still be useful.
| Author: | Giovanni Giuseppe Bianconi |
| Addressee: | Charles Robert Darwin |
| Date: | 1 Feb 1875 |
| Classmark: | DAR 160: 181 |
| Letter no: | DCP-LETT-9838 |
| letter | (25) |
| Darwin, C. R. | (16) |
| Tait, Lawson | (4) |
| Haeckel, Ernst | (2) |
| Bianconi, G. G. | (1) |
| Storer, John | (1) |
| Darwin, C. R. | (8) |
| Unidentified | (7) |
| Dawkins, W. B. | (1) |
| Harting, Pieter | (1) |
| Llewelyn, T. M. | (1) |
| Darwin, C. R. | (24) |
| Unidentified | (7) |
| Tait, Lawson | (5) |
| Haeckel, Ernst | (2) |
| Bianconi, G. G. | (1) |
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…
Matches: 1 hits
- … 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...
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. …
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…
Matches: 1 hits
- … 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…
Matches: 1 hits
- … 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…
Matches: 1 hits
- … 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…
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…
Matches: 1 hits
- … her early teens (she won several prizes there); nor that in 1879 she had parental blessing for her …
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.…
Matches: 1 hits
- … Buckley, A., The fairy-land of science , (London, 1879; Philadelphia 1888). Holmes, M. …
Dramatisation script
Summary
Re: Design – Adaptation of the Correspondence of Charles Darwin, Asa Gray and others… by Craig Baxter – as performed 25 March 2007
Matches: 1 hits
- … 1872 208 JD HOOKER TO C DARWIN, 29 NOVEMBER 1879 209 A GRAY, 1882, …
