From Herbert Spencer 7 July 1875
Summary
Thanks CD for his new volume [Insectivorous plants].
Author: | Herbert Spencer |
Addressee: | Charles Robert Darwin |
Date: | 7 July 1875 |
Classmark: | DAR 177: 234 |
Letter no: | DCP-LETT-10049 |
To Herbert Spencer 13 November 1875
Summary
CD cannot remember whether he was on the committee of the Jamaica affair [for prosecution of Governor Eyre in 1866] but he subscribed £10.
It is curious and amusing how positivists hate all men of science, possibly because their prophet [Comte] made laughable and gigantic blunders in predicting the course of science.
Author: | Charles Robert Darwin |
Addressee: | Herbert Spencer |
Date: | 13 Nov 1875 |
Classmark: | University of London, Senate House Library (MS.791/111) |
Letter no: | DCP-LETT-10258 |
From Herbert Spencer 22 September 1881
Summary
Sends CD a circular [missing] and asks whether he will add his name to group [Anti-Aggression League].
Author: | Herbert Spencer |
Addressee: | Charles Robert Darwin |
Date: | 22 Sept 1881 |
Classmark: | DAR 202: 122 |
Letter no: | DCP-LETT-13351 |
To Herbert Spencer [after 22 September 1881]
Summary
Although he agrees with the object of HS’s league he will not join until he has seen how it works.
Author: | Charles Robert Darwin |
Addressee: | Herbert Spencer |
Date: | [after 22 Sept 1881] |
Classmark: | DAR 202: 122v |
Letter no: | DCP-LETT-13352 |
To Herbert Spencer 11 March [1856]
Summary
Thanks for copy of HS’s Principles of psychology [1855].
Author: | Charles Robert Darwin |
Addressee: | Herbert Spencer |
Date: | 11 Mar [1856] |
Classmark: | DAR 147: 484a |
Letter no: | DCP-LETT-1841 |
To Herbert Spencer 25 November [1858]
Summary
Thanks for HS’s Essays: [scientific, political, and speculative, vol. 1 (1858)]. Admires his general argument for the development theory.
CD is preparing an abstract on change of species. He treats subject as a naturalist, not from a general point of view. Otherwise he might have quoted HS’s argument to great advantage.
CD particularly liked articles on music and style. Expression is a favourite topic with CD. Agrees all expression is biological.
Author: | Charles Robert Darwin |
Addressee: | Herbert Spencer |
Date: | 25 Nov [1858] |
Classmark: | University of London, Senate House Library (MS.791/41) |
Letter no: | DCP-LETT-2373 |
To Herbert Spencer 2 February [1860]
Summary
Has prepared a historical sketch [of writers on origin of species] for foreign editions of Origin. It includes HS. He was too ill to provide it for the 1st ed.
Sorry Murray has not sent HS his copy of Origin, as he was instructed.
Huxley will put CD and E. A. Darwin down for HS’s gigantic [publishing] programme. Suggests Dr Drysdale be approached about it.
Author: | Charles Robert Darwin |
Addressee: | Herbert Spencer |
Date: | 2 Feb [1860] |
Classmark: | University of London, Senate House Library (MS.791/47) |
Letter no: | DCP-LETT-2680 |
From Herbert Spencer 22 February 1860
Summary
CD has caused a great change in HS’s views, in showing how a great proportion of adaptation should be explained by natural selection not direct adaptation to changing conditions. HS had remarked on the survival of the best individuals as a cause of improvement in man, but he "& every one" overlooked selection of spontaneous variation. Believes so many kinds of indirect evidence must add up to a conclusive demonstration of the doctrine.
Author: | Herbert Spencer |
Addressee: | Charles Robert Darwin |
Date: | 22 Feb 1860 |
Classmark: | The University of Edinburgh Centre for Research Collections (Lyell collection Coll-203/A3/5: 107–9) |
Letter no: | DCP-LETT-2706B |
To Herbert Spencer 23 [February 1860]
Summary
HS put the case of selection strikingly and clearly in his article [Anonymous, "A theory of population, deduced from the general law of animal fertility", Westminster Rev. 57 (1852): 468–501]. Of CD’s numerous private critics only HS has rendered the philosophy fairly: his argument is an hypothesis that explains groups of facts.
Author: | Charles Robert Darwin |
Addressee: | Herbert Spencer |
Date: | 23 [Feb 1860] |
Classmark: | University of London, Senate House Library (MS. 791/51) |
Letter no: | DCP-LETT-3126 |
From Herbert Spencer 22 April 1865
Summary
Wonders whether CD might contribute, if possible, an occasional letter to the Reader to help in their effort to establish the journal.
Author: | Herbert Spencer |
Addressee: | Charles Robert Darwin |
Date: | 22 Apr 1865 |
Classmark: | DAR 177: 225 |
Letter no: | DCP-LETT-4817 |
From Herbert Spencer 2 November 1866
Summary
Asks whether CD will add his name to a list supporting them in the "[Edward John] Eyre prosecution matter".
Author: | Herbert Spencer |
Addressee: | Charles Robert Darwin |
Date: | 2 Nov 1866 |
Classmark: | DAR 177: 226 |
Letter no: | DCP-LETT-5265 |
To Herbert Spencer 9 December [1867]
Summary
Thanks for copy of HS’s First principles [? 2d ed. (1867)].
Comments on HS’s Principles of biology [1864, 1867].
Author: | Charles Robert Darwin |
Addressee: | Herbert Spencer |
Date: | 9 Dec [1867] |
Classmark: | DAR 147: 485a |
Letter no: | DCP-LETT-5717 |
From Herbert Spencer 8 February 1868
Summary
Thanks CD for copy of Variation.
Discusses Pangenesis and considers CD’s "gemmules" comparable to his own hypothetical "physiological units" ["On alleged ""spontaneous generation"", and on the hypothesis of physiological units", appendix in The principles of biology, vol. 1 (1864)].
Author: | Herbert Spencer |
Addressee: | Charles Robert Darwin |
Date: | 8 Feb 1868 |
Classmark: | DAR 177: 227 |
Letter no: | DCP-LETT-5851 |
From Herbert Spencer 3 March 1871
Summary
Thanks CD for copy of Descent; wishes it had appeared earlier so that he could have made use of the facts in his Principles of psychology [2d ed. (1870–2)].
Author: | Herbert Spencer |
Addressee: | Charles Robert Darwin |
Date: | 3 Mar 1871 |
Classmark: | DAR 177: 228 |
Letter no: | DCP-LETT-7540 |
From Herbert Spencer 2 May 1871
Summary
Intends to answer Sir A. Grant’s article if CD does not. [A. Grant, "Philosophy and Mr Darwin", Contemp. Rev. 17 (1871): 274–81; H. Spencer, "Mental evolution", Contemp. Rev. 17 (1871): 461–2.]
Author: | Herbert Spencer |
Addressee: | Charles Robert Darwin |
Date: | 2 May 1871 |
Classmark: | DAR 177: 229 |
Letter no: | DCP-LETT-7734 |
To Herbert Spencer 10 June [1872]
Summary
Expresses his "unbounded admiration" for HS’s article on Martineau ["Mr Martineau on evolution", Contemp. Rev. 20 (1872): 141–54]
and his article on sociology [Contemp. Rev. 19 (1872): 701–18]. CD never believed in the reigning influence of great men on the world’s progress but could not have given his reasons. "Now every one with eyes to see and ears to hear . . . ought to bow their knee to you, as I for one do."
Author: | Charles Robert Darwin |
Addressee: | Herbert Spencer |
Date: | 10 June [1872] |
Classmark: | University of London, Senate House Library (MS791/80) |
Letter no: | DCP-LETT-8380 |
From Herbert Spencer 12 June 1872
Summary
HS hopes in the future to show more fully "absolute emptiness" of James Martineau’s propositions; is glad CD approved of his article dealing with JM’s arguments. [J. Martineau, "The place of mind in nature", Contemp. Rev. 19 (1872): 606–23; H. Spencer, "Mr Martineau on evolution", Contemp. Rev. 20 (1872): 141–54.]
Author: | Herbert Spencer |
Addressee: | Charles Robert Darwin |
Date: | 12 June 1872 |
Classmark: | DAR 177: 230 |
Letter no: | DCP-LETT-8384 |
From Herbert Spencer 16 November 1872
Summary
Thanks CD for Expression. Disagrees with his views on the genesis of melody; HS gives some reasons for believing it to originate in the natural cadences of emotional speech.
Author: | Herbert Spencer |
Addressee: | Charles Robert Darwin |
Date: | 16 Nov 1872 |
Classmark: | DAR 177: 231 |
Letter no: | DCP-LETT-8631 |
From Herbert Spencer 26 April 1873
Summary
Wants to use CD’s support to put pressure on Michael Foster to enable Huxley to take an immediate holiday.
Author: | Herbert Spencer |
Addressee: | Charles Robert Darwin |
Date: | 26 Apr 1873 |
Classmark: | DAR 177: 232 |
Letter no: | DCP-LETT-8883 |
To Herbert Spencer 21 August [1873]
Summary
Thanks for copy of HS’s Descriptive sociology [1873].
Author: | Charles Robert Darwin |
Addressee: | Herbert Spencer |
Date: | 21 Aug [1873] |
Classmark: | University of London, Senate House Library (MS.791/322) |
Letter no: | DCP-LETT-9019 |
letter | (22) |
Spencer, Herbert | (12) |
Darwin, C. R. | (10) |
Darwin, C. R. | (12) |
Spencer, Herbert | (10) |