To [John Colby] 2 March [1877]
Summary
Does not think the pistil behaved as JC described, except by mere accident.
Author: | Charles Robert Darwin |
Addressee: | John Colby |
Date: | 2 Mar [1877] |
Classmark: | The National Library of Israel (Abraham Schwadron collection, Schwad 03 04 07) |
Letter no: | DCP-LETT-10873F |
Matches: 1 hit
- … Israel (Abraham Schwadron collection, Schwad 03 04 07) Charles Robert Darwin Down 2 Mar [ …
To ? 13 December [1869]
Summary
Has given the right of translation [of Descent] to Julius Victor Carus of Leipzig, so the recipient should inform Alexander Duncker to communicate with JVC.
Author: | Charles Robert Darwin |
Addressee: | Unidentified |
Date: | 13 Dec [1869] |
Classmark: | The National Library of Israel (Abraham Schwadron collection, Schwad 03 04 07) |
Letter no: | DCP-LETT-7028F |
Matches: 1 hit
- … Israel (Abraham Schwadron collection, Schwad 03 04 07) Charles Robert Darwin Down 13 Dec [ …
To John Allen 25 May 1847
Summary
Thanks for JS’s note concerning a proposal [concerning some aspect of education of poor children?] which CD has to decline because of his poor health and his work in Natural History.
Author: | Charles Robert Darwin |
Addressee: | John Allen |
Date: | 25 May 1847 |
Classmark: | The National Library of Israel (Abraham Schwadron collection, Schwad 03 04 07) |
Letter no: | DCP-LETT-1090F |
Matches: 1 hit
- … Israel (Abraham Schwadron collection, Schwad 03 04 07) Charles Robert Darwin Down 25 May …
From Joseph Fayrer 30 June 1874
Author: | Joseph Fayrer, 1st baronet |
Addressee: | Charles Robert Darwin |
Date: | 30 June 1874 |
Classmark: | DAR 58.1: 69–72 |
Letter no: | DCP-LETT-9521 |
Matches: 1 hit
- … other with a solution of cobra poison of . 03 gramme Poison to 4 . 6. cubic centimetres …
Smith, C. A. (1827–1907)
Matches: 1 hit
- … as The New Haven Evening Register; Date: 03-17-1894; Volume: LII; Issue: 65; Page: [1]; …
From Joseph Fayrer 6 January 1875
Summary
Encloses results of experiments on influence of snake poison on ciliary action and vegetable protoplasm.
Author: | Joseph Fayrer, 1st baronet |
Addressee: | Charles Robert Darwin |
Date: | 6 Jan 1875 |
Classmark: | DAR 58.2: 71, 73–82, DAR 164: 112 |
Letter no: | DCP-LETT-9806 |
Matches: 1 hit
- … 1. A standard solution of cobra poison: ·03 gramme to 4·6 cubic centimetres of water was …
Darwin, C. R. | (3) |
Fayrer, Joseph | (2) |
Darwin, C. R. | (2) |
Allen, John | (1) |
Colby, John | (1) |
Unidentified | (1) |
Darwin, C. R. | (5) |
Fayrer, Joseph | (2) |
Allen, John | (1) |
Colby, John | (1) |
Unidentified | (1) |
Evolution in Commentary

The "wicked book": Origin at 157
Summary
Origin is 157 years old. (Probably) the most famous book in science was published on 24 November 1859. To celebrate we have uploaded hundreds of new images of letters, bringing the total number you can look at here to over 9000 representing more than…
Matches: 1 hits
- … on pigeons mixed in with Parish affairs. 3 pails of water thrown over me on rising …

The writing of "Origin"
Summary
From a quiet rural existence at Down in Kent, filled with steady work on his ‘big book’ on the transmutation of species, Darwin was jolted into action in 1858 by the arrival of an unexpected letter (no longer extant) from Alfred Russel Wallace outlining a…
Matches: 5 hits
- … that Darwin received Wallace’s letter and manuscript on 3 June 1858, the same day that another …
- … was postmarked ‘Singapore Apr 21 58’ and ‘London Ju 3 58’. Brooks maintains that Darwin …
- … forwarded Wallace’s paper to Lyell (Brooks 1984, pp. 262–3). It is of some significance to note that …
- … plan of his book (see letter from Elwin to Murray, 3 May 1859 , and letter to John Murray, 6 …
- … theory for the origin of mankind. As he wrote to Darwin on 3 October 1859 , ‘the case of Man and …

Sexual selection
Summary
Although natural selection could explain the differences between species, Darwin realised that (other than in the reproductive organs themselves) it could not explain the often marked differences between the males and females of the same species. So what…
Matches: 1 hits
- … whenever I gaze on it, makes me sick! ( To Asa Gray, 3 April [1860] ) Bernard Peirce …

Abstract of Darwin’s theory
Summary
There are two extant versions of the abstract of Darwin’s theory of natural selection. One was sent to Asa Gray on 5 September 1857, enclosed with a letter of the same date (see Correspondence vol. 6, letter to Asa Gray, 5 September [1857] and enclosure).…
Matches: 5 hits
- … of the Proceedings of the Linnean Society (Zoology) 3 (1859): 45–62, it has been transcribed here. …
- … & even in some degree methodically been followed 3 in the most ancient times. There must have …
- … this period, millions on millions of generations. (3) I think it can be shown that there is …
- … if cropped with several species of grasses than with 2 or 3 species. 34 Now every single 35 …
- … ‘astounded’ (Darwin and Wallace 1858, p. 50). 3 The printed version reads: ‘was occasionally, …

Alfred Russel Wallace’s essay on varieties
Summary
The original manuscript about varieties that Wallace composed on the island of Gilolo and sent to Darwin from the neighbouring island of Ternate (Brooks 1984) has not been found. It was sent to Darwin as an enclosure in a letter (itself missing), and was…
Matches: 1 hits
- … of the Proceedings of the Linnean Society (Zoology) 3 (1859): 45–62, and this text is reprinted …

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
- … I suppose “natural selection” was bad term but to change it now, I think, would make confusion …