To W. D. Fox [25 January 1841]
Summary
Birds has gone to the printer.
Continues "to collect all kinds of facts about ""varieties and species"" " for his "some-day work".
Would be grateful for descriptions of offspring of crossbred domestic animals.
| Author: | Charles Robert Darwin |
| Addressee: | William Darwin Fox |
| Date: | [25 Jan 1841] |
| Classmark: | Christ’s College Library, Cambridge (MS 53 Fox 59) |
| Letter no: | DCP-LETT-586 |
To G. R. Gray [February 1841]
Summary
In a revise [of Birds] CD has altered "Colaptes Chilensis Vigors" to "Chrysoptilus Chilensis G. R. Gray". Is that right?
| Author: | Charles Robert Darwin |
| Addressee: | George Robert Gray |
| Date: | [Feb 1841] |
| Classmark: | The British Library (Egerton MS 2348: 239) |
| Letter no: | DCP-LETT-587 |
From G. E. Bearpark 12 February 1841
Summary
Requesting information about membership of the Geological Society of London.
| Author: | George Edmundson Bearpark |
| Addressee: | Charles Robert Darwin |
| Date: | 12 Feb 1841 |
| Classmark: | Geological Society of London (GSL/L/R/6/126) |
| Letter no: | DCP-LETT-587F |
To G. R. Gray [February–March 1841]
Summary
Sends proof of index of final number of Birds for checking.
| Author: | Charles Robert Darwin |
| Addressee: | George Robert Gray |
| Date: | [Feb–Mar 1841] |
| Classmark: | The British Library (Egerton MS 2348: 240) |
| Letter no: | DCP-LETT-589 |
To Charles Lyell [21 February – 4 April 1841]
Summary
Answers a number of queries from Lyell concerning geography and geology of Chiloé Island and its relationship to the Cordilleras.
Asks about "perched rocks" on Jura and notes their relevance to Louis Agassiz’s theory. Discusses Agassiz’s view on Jura.
Mentions seeing Robert Brown.
Notes R. I. Murchison’s discovery of shells in central England.
Weakness of negative evidence.
| Author: | Charles Robert Darwin |
| Addressee: | Charles Lyell, 1st baronet |
| Date: | [21 Feb – 4 Apr 1841] |
| Classmark: | American Philosophical Society (Mss.B.D25.26) |
| Letter no: | DCP-LETT-590 |
To M. J. Berkeley [March 1841]
Summary
Looks forward to the paper on CD’s edible fungus specimen from Tierra del Fuego [read 16 Mar 1841; Trans. Linn. Soc. Lond. 19 (1845): 37–43].
Sends a correction: Fagus betuloides, not F. antarctica, is the common tree of Tierra del Fuego.
| Author: | Charles Robert Darwin |
| Addressee: | Miles Joseph Berkeley |
| Date: | [Mar 1841] |
| Classmark: | Shropshire Archives (SA 6001/134/47) |
| Letter no: | DCP-LETT-591 |
To Charles Lyell [March 1841]
Summary
Discusses the role of ice in determining the geological features of the Jura. Mentions view of Agassiz. Objects to idea of "a [sea of ice] carrying rocks". Notes Agassiz’s earlier view of "ice expanded in the line of the Great Swiss Valley". Comments on Pentlands.
| Author: | Charles Robert Darwin |
| Addressee: | Charles Lyell, 1st baronet |
| Date: | [Mar 1841] |
| Classmark: | American Philosophical Society (Mss.B.D25.27) |
| Letter no: | DCP-LETT-592 |
To Louis Agassiz 1 March [1841]
Summary
Has enjoyed reading LA’s book [Études sur les glaciers (1840)].
Hopes LA will pardon manner in which CD has alluded to his work on glaciers in his Journal of researches, of which he sends a copy.
| Author: | Charles Robert Darwin |
| Addressee: | Jean Louis Rodolphe (Louis) Agassiz |
| Date: | 1 Mar [1841] |
| Classmark: | Houghton Library, Harvard University (MS Am 1419: 280) |
| Letter no: | DCP-LETT-593 |
To Charles Lyell [9 March 1841]
Summary
Defends his theory [in "Parallel roads of Glen Roy" (1839), Collected papers 1: 87–137] against the view that the "roads" were formed by glacial action.
| Author: | Charles Robert Darwin |
| Addressee: | Charles Lyell, 1st baronet |
| Date: | [9 Mar 1841] |
| Classmark: | American Philosophical Society (Mss.B.D25.23) |
| Letter no: | DCP-LETT-594 |
To Charles Lyell [12 March 1841]
Summary
Discusses at length Louis Agassiz’s book [Études sur les glaciers (1840)] and Agassiz’s explanation of moraines. Defends his own theory of the importance of floating ice. Relates glacier theory to his own interpretation of Glen Roy.
Mentions a paper he is writing on South American boulders and till [Collected papers 1: 145–63].
| Author: | Charles Robert Darwin |
| Addressee: | Charles Lyell, 1st baronet |
| Date: | [12 Mar 1841] |
| Classmark: | American Philosophical Society (Mss.B.D25.25) |
| Letter no: | DCP-LETT-595 |
To A. Y. Spearman 27 March 1841
Summary
The Smith, Elder & Co. account for the now published fifth number of the third part of the Zoology is presented.
| Author: | Charles Robert Darwin |
| Addressee: | Alexander Young Spearman, 1st baronet |
| Date: | 27 Mar 1841 |
| Classmark: | The National Archives (TNA) (T1/4585 paper 10688) |
| Letter no: | DCP-LETT-595A |
From Leonard Jenyns [c. 30 March 1841]
Summary
LJ has had a letter from R. T. Lowe in Madeira who thinks Scorpaena histrio, a species from Galapagos described in no. 1 [of Fish], is the same as the one in the Atlantic and Mediterranean. LJ does not think it is possible.
| Author: | Leonard Jenyns; Leonard Blomefield |
| Addressee: | Charles Robert Darwin |
| Date: | [c. 30 Mar 1841] |
| Classmark: | DAR 205.3: 279 |
| Letter no: | DCP-LETT-596 |
To William Lonsdale 14 April [1841]
Summary
Sends paper on erratic boulders [Collected papers 1: 145–63] to the Society. Has taken two months to complete it because of illness.
| Author: | Charles Robert Darwin |
| Addressee: | William Lonsdale |
| Date: | 14 Apr [1841] |
| Classmark: | Geological Society of London (GSL/L/R/6/299) |
| Letter no: | DCP-LETT-597 |
From J. S. Henslow 19 April 1841
Summary
Reports observations on the behaviour of captive harvest mouse and dormouse. When descending sticks mouse uses its tail like a prehensile-tailed monkey.
| Author: | John Stevens Henslow |
| Addressee: | Charles Robert Darwin |
| Date: | 19 Apr 1841 |
| Classmark: | DAR 166: 176 |
| Letter no: | DCP-LETT-598 |
From W. C. Redfield May 1841
Summary
Is sending through John Blunt a copy of the last geological report of the state of New York along with a short paper on the tornado that passed through the state of New Jersey in June 1835.
| Author: | William C. Redfield |
| Addressee: | Charles Robert Darwin |
| Date: | May 1841 |
| Classmark: | Yale University: Beinecke Rare Book and Manuscript Library (William C. Redfield’s outbound letter book 1835–41 (z117 00151 2) p. 239) |
| Letter no: | DCP-LETT-598A |
To A. Y. Spearman 17 May 1841
Summary
The third number of part four of the Zoology has been published. CD transmits the Smith, Elder & Co. account.
| Author: | Charles Robert Darwin |
| Addressee: | Alexander Young Spearman, 1st baronet |
| Date: | 17 May 1841 |
| Classmark: | The National Archives (TNA) (T1/4585 paper 10688) |
| Letter no: | DCP-LETT-598B |
To E. W. Brayley 8 May [1841]
Summary
Thanks recipient for finding reference on carbonate of lime. Doubtful when he will publish his geological memoranda.
| Author: | Charles Robert Darwin |
| Addressee: | Edward William Brayley |
| Date: | 8 May [1841] |
| Classmark: | Christie’s, London (dealers) (online 31 October – 8 November 2018, lot 3) |
| Letter no: | DCP-LETT-598F |
To Leonard Jenyns 24 June [1841]
Summary
Doctors predict it will take years for CD’s constitution to recover.
| Author: | Charles Robert Darwin |
| Addressee: | Leonard Jenyns; Leonard Blomefield |
| Date: | 24 June [1841] |
| Classmark: | Bath Royal Literary and Scientific Institution |
| Letter no: | DCP-LETT-599 |
To Emma Darwin [1 July 1841]
Summary
Family news. Mainly concerned about Doddy’s [W. E. Darwin’s] health.
| Author: | Charles Robert Darwin |
| Addressee: | Emma Wedgwood; Emma Darwin |
| Date: | [1 July 1841] |
| Classmark: | DAR 210.8: 16 |
| Letter no: | DCP-LETT-600 |
To Emma Darwin [3 July 1841]
Summary
The happy family life at Shrewsbury. CD is looking so well his father would not have known there was anything the matter with him. The year’s accounts come to £1380.
| Author: | Charles Robert Darwin |
| Addressee: | Emma Wedgwood; Emma Darwin |
| Date: | [3 July 1841] |
| Classmark: | DAR 210.8: 17 |
| Letter no: | DCP-LETT-601 |
| letter | (33) |
| Darwin, C. R. | (25) |
| Abberley, John | (1) |
| Aikin, Arthur | (1) |
| Bearpark, G. E. | (1) |
| Blomefield, Leonard | (1) |
| Darwin, C. R. | (8) |
| Lyell, Charles | (5) |
| Fox, W. D. | (3) |
| Blomefield, Leonard | (2) |
| Darwin, Emma | (2) |
| Darwin, C. R. | (33) |
| Lyell, Charles | (6) |
| Blomefield, Leonard | (3) |
| Fox, W. D. | (3) |
| Jenyns, Leonard | (3) |
Darwin & Glen Roy
Summary
Although Darwin was best known for his geological work in South America and other remote Beagle destinations, he made one noteworthy attempt to explain a puzzling feature of British geology. In 1838, two years after returning from the voyage, he travelled…
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
- … sylvaticum may be seen growing, [1–23 July 1841] William Hopkins's comments on a …
What is an experiment?
Summary
Darwin is not usually regarded as an experimenter, but rather as an astute observer and a grand theorist. His early career seems to confirm this. He began with detailed note-taking, collecting and cataloguing on the Beagle, and edited a descriptive zoology…
Matches: 1 hits
- … a wide range of fields ( letter to W. D. Fox [25 January 1841] ). He used his house and garden as …
Darwin’s reading notebooks
Summary
In April 1838, Darwin began recording the titles of books he had read and the books he wished to read in Notebook C (Notebooks, pp. 319–28). In 1839, these lists were copied and continued in separate notebooks. The first of these reading notebooks (DAR 119…
Matches: 25 hits
- … to M. Therry [Broughton 1832]— a 2 d Edit preparing in 1841.— Lesson Hist Nat des …
- … Generale. Iside. St Hilaire [I. Geoffroy Saint-Hilaire 1841]— Some wonderful facts on Hybrids read …
- … [Butler 1736] Life & corresp. of Beethoven [Schindler 1841] Locke on Education …
- … } Hist of India— [Elphinstone 1841 and ?Macpherson 1812] Macpherson’s …
- … Lee Scot’s Narrative of Shipwreck in China [J. L. Scott 1841] Lockarts Life of Burns …
- … French [Ségur 1825] Catlins Indians [Catlin 1841].— L d . Dudley’s Correspondence …
- … in the Himalayan Provinces by W. Moorcroft. Edited by Wilson 1841 [Moorcroft and Trebeck 1841 …
- … Sicily [Philippi 1836].— Paxton Pocket Bot. Dict. 1841 [Paxton 1840]— probably good—every …
- … r Knight from Hort: & Royal Soc. 15 s . Longman [Knight 1841] Gardener’s Magazine …
- … From Herschel’s Review Quart. June /41/ [Herschel 1841] I see I must study Whewell on …
- … de morphologie. par August. de Saint-Hilaire [Saint-Hilaire 1841]: review annal. des Scien. p. 100 …
- … Ruminants [Jardine ed. 1835–6]// on Horses [C. H. Smith 1841]// Exotic Moths including Si[l]k …
- … und Wiesengräser &c Von. J. Metzger. Heidelberg 1841 [Metzger 1841] Read Henslow in …
- … [ Veterinarian ] Veterinary: Jan & Feb. number 1841. Karkeek on the geological History …
- … D r . Etherington Observ. on Instinct [Etherington 1841–3]. Whittaker 1844. in Parts. cheap. 1.6 a …
- … Geological Society (read) Goulds Kangaroos [Gould 1841–2]— Birds of Himalaya [Gould 1834] ( …
- … Martineau 1837] Bamfords Life of a Radical [Bamford 1841] [DAR *119: 21v.] …
- … Eliza 50 has good Edition Catlins Indians [Catlin 1841] Edwardes. Voyage up Amazon …
- … End Feb. 23 rd . Henslow Pamph. on Wheat [Henslow 1841]— fact about number & size of …
- … Generale. Isid. G. St. Hilaire: [I. Geoffroy Saint-Hilaire 1841] d[itt]o: 10 th Journal de …
- … Dec. 10 th The Hour & Man. H. Martineau [H. Martineau 1841] —— 12 Sir S. Romilly’s …
- … 1836–7] 26 th . Carlyle. Hero Worship [Carlyle 1841].— moderate April 4 th . …
- … K. Porter 1821–2]— [DAR 119: 11a] 1841 May 13 Stillingfleet Tracts …
- … Paper on Zoosperms in Annales des Sciences no. 1: 1841: [Prévost and Dumas 1824] 23 d …
- … abstracted 22 d Lyells Elem. 2 d Edit. [Lyell 1841] d[itt]o.— Jan 3 d . …
Darwin in letters, 1837–1843: The London years to 'natural selection'
Summary
The seven-year period following Darwin's return to England from the Beagle voyage was one of extraordinary activity and productivity in which he became recognised as a naturalist of outstanding ability, as an author and editor, and as a professional…
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. …
Matches: 5 hits
Alexander Burns Usborne
Summary
Alexander Burns Usborne was born in Kendal, Westmorland, in 1808, the son of Alexander and Margaret Usborne; his father died in 1818 and in his will was described as the purser on HMS Hannibal. His son joined the navy in 1825 aged 16 as a second-class…
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.…
Matches: 5 hits
Darwin’s hothouse and lists of hothouse plants
Summary
Darwin became increasingly involved in botanical experiments in the years after the publication of Origin. The building of a small hothouse - a heated greenhouse - early in 1863 greatly increased the range of plants that he could keep for scientific…
Matches: 1 hits
- … gardening (Loudon 1835), a copy of which Darwin signed in 1841 (see the copy in the Darwin Library …
Darwin’s observations on his children
Summary
Charles Darwin’s observations on the development of his children, began the research that culminated in his book The Expression of the emotions in man and animals, published in 1872, and his article ‘A biographical sketch of an infant’, published in Mind…
Matches: 4 hits
- … Parallels in the development of Anne Elizabeth, born 2 March 1841, were also recorded during this …
- … box but not to scold at it—[36] 27 January. 1841. When eight months old, & for some …
- … on page after next) [31v.] 30 Feb. 20 th . [1841]— Was amused & laughed out, at my …
- … were added considerably later; Anne Elizabeth was born in 1841 and Henrietta Emma in 1843. Mrs Locke …
George Eliot (Mary Ann Evans)
Summary
George Eliot was the pen name of celebrated Victorian novelist Mary Ann Evans (1819-1880). She was born on the outskirts of Nuneaton in Warwickshire and was educated at boarding schools from the age of five until she was 16. Her education ended when she…
Matches: 1 hits
- … to care for her father and to run the family household. In 1841 she moved to Coventry with her …
Annie Darwin born
Summary
Daughter Anne Elizabeth (Annie) born
Matches: 1 hits
- … Daughter Anne Elizabeth (Annie) born …
The death of Anne Elizabeth Darwin
Summary
Charles and Emma Darwin’s eldest daughter, Annie, died at the age of ten in 1851. Emma was heavily pregnant with their fifth son, Horace, at the time and could not go with Charles when he took Annie to Malvern to consult the hydrotherapist, Dr Gully.…
Matches: 1 hits
- … Our poor child, Annie, was born in Gower St on March 2 d . 1841. & expired at Malvern at 1 …
Darwin & the Geological Society
Summary
The science of geology in the early nineteenth century was a relatively new enterprise forged from the merging of several distinct traditions of inquiry, from mineralogy and the very practical business of mining, to theories of the earth’s origin and the…
Matches: 1 hits
- … and becoming its secretary (a position he held until 1841). Taken as a whole, these papers …
Fritz Müller
Summary
Fritz Müller, a German who spent most of his life in political exile in Brazil, described Darwin as his second father, and Darwin's son, Francis, wrote that, although they never met 'the correspondence with Müller, which continued to the close of…
Matches: 1 hits
- … for a year before beginning his university career in 1841 at Berlin, where he studied mathematics …
Syms Covington
Summary
When Charles Darwin embarked on the Beagle voyage in 1831, Syms Covington was ‘fiddler & boy to Poop-cabin’. Covington kept an illustrated journal of his observations and experiences on the voyage, noting wildlife, landscapes, buildings and people and,…
Matches: 1 hits
- … arrived in Australia, or what he first did there, but in 1841 he married Eliza Twyford (originally …
3.1 Antoine Claudet, daguerreotype
Summary
< Back to Introduction This daguerreotype of Darwin with his firstborn child, William, was, according to a label on the glass, taken on 23 August 1842, just before the family moved from London to Down. It is generally attributed to the French…
Matches: 1 hits
- … technique, had opened a photographic studio in London in 1841, using the kind of painted landscape …
Emma Darwin
Summary
Emma Darwin, Charles Darwin's wife and first cousin, was born Emma Wedgwood, the eighth and youngest child of Josiah Wedgwood II and Bessy Allen. Her father was the eldest son of the famous pottery manufacturer, Josiah Wedgwood I. Her mother was one…
Matches: 1 hits
- … the same year, and Anne Elizabeth Darwin was born in March 1841. In 1842, Charles bought Down House …
Thomas Burgess
Summary
As well as its complement of sailors, the Beagle also carried a Royal Marine sergeant and seven marines, one of whom was Thomas Burgess. When the Beagle set sail he was twenty one, having been born in October 1810 to Israel and Hannah Burgess of Lancashire…
Matches: 1 hits
- … His eldest daughter, Mary, was born in Stockport and in 1841 the family, with three-month old Eliza, …
John Lort Stokes
Summary
John Lort Stokes, naval officer, was Charles Darwin’s cabinmate on the Beagle voyage – not always an enviable position. After Darwin’s death, Stokes penned a description of their evenings spent working at the large table at the centre, Stokes at his…
Matches: 1 hits
- … Australasian waters, succeeding to the ship’s command in 1841, and eventually returned to England in …
