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The Robert M. Stecher Collection of Charles Darwin Books and Manuscripts
![Letter from Charles Darwin to [A. D. Barlett], 4768](https://digital.case.edu/sites/default/files/styles/islandora_imagecache_image_style_medium/public/externals/fb801b1628ea3fa2d4a2f84551ebf104.jpg?itok=swn0sokZ&pid=ksl:ditalldar00177&iic=true)
Show moreTranscription: "Dear Sir I wrote to you above a week ago to ask you to send me immediately the body of one of my Porto Santo Rabbits, together with some information. I have not received the rabbit nor any acknowledgement of my letter from you. I now request you will be so good as to write to me by return of post Dear Sir, yours faithfully, Ch. Darwin" Letter sent from Down, Beckenham, Kent, England
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Show moreDarwin recommends H. Müller’s Die Befruchtung der Blumen (1873) Transcription: " A.W. Bennett Esq 3. Park Village East Regent Park London N.W. If you have not already seen, D.H. Muller Die Befunckling die [] []" Leipzig 1873 is evident [], I think it shd be worth your []. [] May 5" 1873 C. Darwin" Postcard sent from Down, Beckenham, Kent, England
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Show moreTranscription: "My dear Prof. Sedgwick You must let me thank you in my wife’s & own name for your most kind note. My wife never dreamed that you would trouble yourself in answering her, otherwise she would have scrupled in calling your attention to the case. All that she expected was, that if your votes had been disengaged you would consider the case. I am very sorry to hear so poor an account of your health. I should much like to attend at Aberdeen, but I am utterly unfit for so great an exertion. I am told that I suffer from suppressed gout! Whatever it is, I am made wretched & almost useless. I am pleased that you remember my attending you in your excursion in 1831. To me, it was a memorable event in my life; I felt it a great honour, & it stimulated me to work, & made me appreciate the noble science of geology. Believe me that I thank you sincerely for your kind expressions towards me. With entire respect & honour, I remain, Yours sincerely obliged, Charles Darwin" Letter sent from Down, Bromley, Kent, England. Envelope included.
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Show moreDarwin authorises publication of a Bohemian edition of Origin. Transcription: "March 13. 1878 Dear Sir, I have much pleasure in authorizing your publication of a Bohemian edition of my 'Origin of Species'. The Russion translation was published by Kowalewsky of St Petersburg. I believe he has resided in Germany for many years + I have no idea where he is at present. I hope you received the former letter written by my son in reply to your question as to the most recent edit of the Origin? dear Sir yours faithfully Charles Darwin P.S. In case the former letter miscarried I may mention that the 6th is the last edit of the Origin; the 2nd is the last of the Descent of Man To Dr A. Stecker Jungbunzhau" Letter sent from Down, Beckenham, Kent, England.
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![Letter from Charles Darwin to [Bibliogr. Inst. Leipzig], 10583](https://digital.case.edu/sites/default/files/styles/islandora_imagecache_image_style_medium/public/externals/3620819c5aff45ceb336aad3030f31b4.jpg?itok=WPyw9TN-&pid=ksl:ditalldar00182&iic=true)
Show moreDarwin writes to say thank you for A. E. Brehm’s Thierleben [2d ed. (1876)]. Transcription: "Aug 28 1876 Gentlemen I am very much obliged for your kind present of the new edition of Brahm's Thier Leben, The illustrations are admirable; but it wd be superfluous in me to [] any opinion on their work, as I have plainly shown in my Descent of Man how much I have profited by it, + how -much I value it. With my best Thanks I remain Gentlemen your obliged servant Charles Darwin" Letter sent from Down, Beckenham, Kent, England
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![Letter from Charles Darwin to [C. S. Bate], 1471](https://digital.case.edu/sites/default/files/styles/islandora_imagecache_image_style_medium/public/externals/687641b2e3da7458b574c4be9e79ca48.jpg?itok=qLs5E7hM&pid=ksl:ditalldar00180&iic=true)
Show moreTranscription: "My dear Sir I see by the Annals. of Nat. History, you have changed your abode; I further see that the change has not at all induced a change in your Natural History pursuits. I write for the chance of your being able to assist me: I am investigating the slight powers of excavation which Verruca stümia /= Clisia striata) possesses; & I am am anxious to obtain specimens, either dry or wet, attached to rocks or other substances (excepting Laminariæ or seaweeds) non calcareous & some (almost equally valuable to me) on limestone rocks for comparison. The only very few specimens which I have hitherto seen on any rocks, came from Devonshire. Can you aid me? I believe you will kindly be willing to do so, if in your power. Pray believe me, My dear Sir Yours sincerely Charles Darwin Have you continued your interesting researches on the metamorphoses of the Cirripedia?" Letter sent from Down, Beckenham, Kent, England
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Show moreTranscription: "My dear Sir I must thank you cordially for your note which has pleased me much. I did not think that any one wd have noticed the case of the Lathyrus, which interested me because I remember looking at it many years ago in a Lord Dundreary state of mind. It appears to me that we have looked at many things from the same point of view; at least I remember well when reading your capital paper on the great fir woods of Hampshire being surprised at your remarks on the presence of this or that weed shewing how exactly the same train of thoughts had often passed thro’ both our minds. I ought to have thanked you for sending me your photograph which I am extremely glad to possess. Pray believe me my dear Sir, Yours very faithfully, Ch. Darwin" Letter sent from Down, Beckenham, Kent, England. Envelope included
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Show moreTranscription: "Dear Sir I thank you sincerely for allowing me to insert your admirable sentence. I am much gratified by your kindness. At any future time I shall be delighted to answer any objections as far as lies in my power, or to receive any suggestions. I shall stay here at furthest only seven or eight days, & it is not improbable that I may be called home sooner, so that, though I should have had much pleasure in making Mr Foster’s acquaintance, it would not be at all worth his while coming here. Indeed during great part of day I am wandering on the hills, & trying to inhale health. Pray give my thanks to Mr Parker & say that I will remember his obliging offer should circumstances require me to make any remarks, which I hope may not be the case. With my renewed thanks, pray believe me, Dear Sir, Yours sincerely & obliged Charles Darwin" Letter sent from Ilkley Wells House, Otley, Yorkshire.
The Robert M. Stecher Collection of Charles Darwin Books and Manuscripts
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Show moreTranscription: "My dear Mr Kingsley I thank you sincerely for your letter. I have been glad to hear about the Duke of Argyle, for ever since the Glasgow Brit. Assoc. when he was President, I have been his ardent admirer. What a fine thing it is to be a Duke: nobody but a Duke, the first time he geologised would have found a new formation; & the first time he botanised a new lichen to Britain. With respect to the pigeons, your remarks show me clearly (without seeing specimens, though I thank you for the kind offer) that the birds shot were the Stock Dove or C. Oenas, long confounded with the Cushat & Rock-pigeon. It is in some respects intermediate in appearance & habits; as it breeds in holes in trees & in rabbit-warrens. It is so far intermediate that it quite justifies what you say on all the forms being descendants of one. That is a grand & almost awful question on the genealogy of man to which you allude. It is not so awful & difficult to me, as it seems to be most, partly from familiarity & partly, I think, from having seen a good many Barbarians. I declare the thought, when I first saw in T. del Fuego a naked painted, shivering hideous savage, that my ancestors must have been somewhat similar beings, was at that time as revolting to me, nay more revolting than my present belief that an incomparably more remote ancestor was a hairy beast. Monkeys have downright good hearts, at least sometimes, as I could show, if I had space. I have long attended to this subject, & have materials for a curious essay on Human expression, & a little on the relation in mind of man to the lower animals. How I shd. be abused if I were to publish such an essay! I hope & rather expect that Sir C. Lyell will enter in his new Book on the relations of men & other animals; but I do not know what his recent intentions are. It is a very curious subject, that of the old myths; but you naturally with your classical & old-world knowledge lay more stress on such beliefs, than I do with all my profound ignorance. Very odd those accounts in India of the little hairy men! It is very true what you say about the higher races of men, when high enough, replacing & clearing off the lower races. In 500 years how the Anglo-saxon race will have spread & exterminated whole nations; & in consequence how much the Human race, viewed as a unit, will have risen in rank. Man is clearly an old-world, not an American, species; & if ever intermediate forms between him & unknown Quadrumana are found, I should expect they would be found in Tropical countries, probably islands. But what a chance if ever they are discovered: look at the French beds with the celts, & no fragment of a human bone. It is indeed, as you say absurd to expect a history of the early stages of man in prehistoric times. I hope that I have not wearied you with my scribbling & with many thanks for your letter, I remain with much respect, Yours sincerely, Charles Darwin As you seem to care for all departments of n. History, I send a pamphlet with a rather curious physiological case." Letter sent from Down, Bromley, Kent, England. Page missing.
The Robert M. Stecher Collection of Charles Darwin Books and Manuscripts
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Show moreDarwin writes to that MacKintosh may show his letter [to the Royal Society]. He is also pleased that his old paper should have stimulated DM to such excellent work. Transcription: "Oct 16. 79 Dear Sir, You are quite welcome to show my letter to the secretaries, as it gives my deliberate conviction; but I beg you to say that it was written without the least notion that any one would see it except yourself, so probably it is badly expressed. It has pleased me much that my old paper should have stimulated you to such excellent work. If in any future papers you use the expression of overshot loads, I think you ought to explain your meaning rather more fully, for I failed to feel sure about it. I remain, dear Sir, yours faithfully Charles Darwin" Letter sent from Down, Farnborough, Kent, England
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Show moreTranscription: "Dear Oliver Would you have the great kindness to name for me the enclosed plant- if you cannot make out the species, the genus wd. suffice. A friend sent a Woodcocks foot with 9 gr. of earth adhering to it, & this plant came up. It has been grown in pot in greenhouse & the flowers have never opened & stamens appear rudimentary- whether this is natural, or due to the plant being properly a marsh plant, or to some other cause, I know not. Excuse me bothering you & believe me, Yours very sincerely, Ch. Darwin" Letter sent from Down, Bromley, Kent, England.
The Robert M. Stecher Collection of Charles Darwin Books and Manuscripts
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Show moreDarwin thanks Nicholson for his book [Indian snakes, 2d ed. (1874)]. Darwin is pleased that it calls attention to gradation in the character of snake poison. Transcription: "Aug. 26 1874 Down, Beckenham, Kent. Dear Sir On my return home after a month's holidays I found your work on [] [], which you have been so very kind as to send me. I am most pleased to observe that you have pointedly called attention to gradation of character with respect to the [] of []. This subject has long interested me, + I have received an account from S. Africa, which makes me believe that the saliva of some of the non-venomous species there causes much imitation, but the account was not definite enough for publication. I have no doubt that your work will be highly serviceable in many ways, + with my renewed thanks remain Dear Sir yours faithfully Ch. Darwin E. Nicholson Army Medical Department Bangalore India" Letter sent from Down, Beckenham, Kent, England. Envelope included.
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![Letter from Charles Darwin to Frances Emma Elizabeth Wedgwood [1547]](https://digital.case.edu/sites/default/files/styles/islandora_imagecache_image_style_medium/public/externals/7762020aceea3e52b72407e3d6d46c01.jpg?itok=6tFwu3wE&pid=ksl:ditalldar00032&iic=true)
Show moreTranscription: "My dear Fanny We are infinitely obliged to you, after all your fatigue, writing to us about poor dear old Erasmus' illness. We had heard nothing of it. As he seemed somewhat better when you wrote, I will not doubt that the worst is over, for I think a Fever hardly ever lulls when it once begins. But it must pull him down terribly, weak as he always is. I shd. very much like to hear pretty soon ever so briefly. I daresay Caroline or Jos. would find time to write a line. You must all have been very much frightened. Good bye my dear Fanny, how many you have aided in illness. I shall never forget the comfort you were once to me, My dear Fanny. C. Darwin" Letter, signed by sender. Sent from Down House, near Beckenham, Kent, England.
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Show moreDarwin comments on Galton’s description of a séance at the house of William Crookes and will use Galton’s words about [H. M. Butler's] hereditary habit [in Expression, p. 33 n. 8]. Transcription: "March 29" c1874 Down, Beckenham, Kent. My dear Galton I think that I have never been more interested in my life than by your letter, It takes one's breath away, + I am much more inclined to believe in some wonderful force from your account than if I had been myself a witness. The case of the needle in the vacuum (which I will not mention) is incomparably in my opinion the most important. I hope that Mr. [] will stick to this + work it out, + that you may continue to be a witness with, as you sat, eyes + eyes vy open. It is rather dreadful to think what we may have to believe. Very many thanks about the case of inheritance. I cannot do better than give your own words. If I do not hear to the [] I with insert "female" in passage about the 3? generation I thank you most heartily for your letter yours vy sincerely Ch. Darwin" Letter sent from Down, Beckenham, Kent, England
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Show moreDarwin encourages Galton to carry out investigation [of spiritualism]. However, his own health is too uncertain to accept Daniel Dunglas Home’s offer. Discusses possibility of reproducing Crookes’s apparatus for sale. Transcription: "Ap. 21st c1870 Down, Beckenham, Kent. My dear Galton I have considered your proposition well. It seems to me highly desirable that the subject ch be [], + thiat it is a sort of duty in [] one who can do so to aid. I have consulted my wife, + she thinks even more strongly than I do, that it wd be impossible for me. It is my case that I can canvass with anyone + be in any way excited for an hour: my [] then [] to [] + all power of attention then is lost. I am, also, so often too unwell to go out, that I shd frequently break any appointment. Moreover, odd as it may seem, as extreme desire to be well on any particular day, or rather evening, is vy apt to make me bad. I regret it much, but I dare not accept Mr. [] remarkably liberal offer. Do not give up yourself. Can you not get some man known for physical science to join you? If Mr. [] succeeds in making his [], + can get some [] maker to sell it, then [] could be one + try for himself- This would settle the question at once, whether any power does [] out of the human body of certain [] individuals. This wd undoubtedly be a vy grand discovery. With very sincere thanks for your letter yours vy truly Ch. Darwin I regret my decision deeple, but I am sure it is unavoidable. Only those who live with me can know how strange + [] I am in health. I never pass 24 hours, without fainting several times, where I can do nothing whatever. Not even read a line." Letter sent from Down, Beckenham, Kent, England
The Robert M. Stecher Collection of Charles Darwin Books and Manuscripts
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Show moreDarwin writes that the cat exhibition might provide information on unusual breeds of cats and their inheritance. He also expresses interest in deafness of white, blue-eyed cats. Transcription: "July 17" Down, Beckenham, Kent. My dear Sir With every wish to offer any assistance, I really know but what to suggest. I believe that you do encourage the exhibition of any breed from outlandish countries. I have heard of a curious breed [] short time from some part of Africa + odd-coloured breeds in the [] Island of the Pacific. A considerable number of persons have felt a strong interest in the odd case of [], to which I first called public attention, fis the entirely white cat with [] eyes are draft. if one eye always is blue the ear on the same side is deaf. Mr. [] has lately published a statement that this holds good only with male cats. Possibly you might make a [] class for "white cats of any breed, with both eyes or one alone blue" offer a [] for the best; though Heaven knkow which shd be called best. You might request a statement whether it is known that they are deaf; + the sexes [] by [] when the cats are sent. This would really be a curious [] + wd without some considerable number of people. I wish I could anything else + []. yours vy faithfully Ch. Darwin The hereditary character of the 6-toed cats would be worth []." Letter sent from Down, Beckenham, Kent, England
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![Letter from Charles Darwin to George Charles Wallich [8223]](https://digital.case.edu/sites/default/files/styles/islandora_imagecache_image_style_medium/public/externals/c073ec4ff359535f10c7aec5d6b607a2.jpg?itok=G9cA9a8P&pid=ksl:ditalldar00030&iic=true)
Show moreDarwin asks Wallich for permission to publish a photograph (also enclosed in letter). The photograph is of a small girl wearing a hat and who is smiling. Transcription: "9. Devonshire Street [Parland] Place Feb [28]th 1872? My dear Sir you gave my the [most??] charming photograph. Now I am going to [buy] a [good] farm, which it is quite likely you may [] wish to [grant] In my little book an [Exposition?] I wish to give a photo [by] to [] map of 2 or 3 smiling faces. For this map the negative is [unrequired?]. Now if you [mind] to leaving me the negative, with the permission to [] that the photograph was [done] by you. You must, of course, [] the important [] in helping me. But if you grany this farm, could you send me the negative to above adding by [] Co [soon?], as I want [] to get the [] [plates??] finished soon. Was the smile intentionally []? or taken when [the] little bit who knew what you were doing? My dear Sir Yours sincerely Ch. Darwin" Letter, signed by sender. Written from Devonshire. Photograph included.
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Show moreTranscription: "My dear Sir I am much obliged for your very kind note & invitation. To meet so many distinguished men is a very great temptation, but I am sorry to say that the state of my health, which requires great regularity in living, will prevent my having the pleasure of accepting your kindness. With thanks, Pray believe me, Dear Sir, Yours sincerely, C. Darwin I have written to Mr Maguire G. Ransome Esq" Letter sent from Down, Farnborough, Kent, England.
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![Letter from Charles Darwin to George Robert Waterhouse [416]](https://digital.case.edu/sites/default/files/styles/islandora_imagecache_image_style_medium/public/externals/f1697020a99353d276d6d37b220c0598.jpg?itok=bGmUK0yK&pid=ksl:ditalldar00031&iic=true)
Show moreTranscription: "My dear Waterhouse I am so determined to make you a geologist, that I have taken the liberty of sending you a copy of Lyell, by which means I obtain full right to mal-treat & abuse you till you have read it. Ever yours, C. Darwin" Letter, signed by sender.
The Robert M. Stecher Collection of Charles Darwin Books and Manuscripts
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