Search results

Letter from Charles Darwin to [A. D. Barlett], 4768

Description

Transcription: "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 so
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
The Robert M. Stecher Collection of Charles Darwin Books and Manuscripts
Show less

Creator

Darwin, Charles, 1809-1882

Permanent URL

http://hdl.handle.net/2186/ksl:ditalldar00177

Letter from Charles Darwin to A. R. Wallace [Alfred Russel Wallace], 8677

Description

Darwin writes to say that he will be in London for a week and invites Wallace to lunch. Transcription: "Dec 14th c1874 Down, Beckenham, Kent. My dear
Show moreDarwin writes to say that he will be in London for a week and invites Wallace to lunch. Transcription: "Dec 14th c1874 Down, Beckenham, Kent. My dear Wallace We go today to "6. Queen Anne Bl Tw." for one week. If you chance to be in London during the week, + have time to spare, will you come + lunch with us, at the outlook. It wd be a great pleasure to see you. Ever yours sincerely Ch. Darwin P.S. I have had a deal of ill-health of late + had to put off starting for London." Letter sent from Down, Beckenham, Kent, England
The Robert M. Stecher Collection of Charles Darwin Books and Manuscripts
Show less

Creator

Darwin, Charles, 1809-1882

Permanent URL

http://hdl.handle.net/2186/ksl:ditalldar00199

Letter from Charles Darwin to Adam Sedgwick, 2482

Description

Transcription: "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
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.
The Robert M. Stecher Collection of Charles Darwin Books and Manuscripts
Show less

Creator

Darwin, Charles, 1809-1882

Permanent URL

http://hdl.handle.net/2186/ksl:ditalldar00223

Letter from Charles Darwin to [Bibliogr. Inst. Leipzig], 10583

Description

Darwin 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 kin
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
The Robert M. Stecher Collection of Charles Darwin Books and Manuscripts
Show less

Creator

Darwin, Charles, 1809-1882

Permanent URL

http://hdl.handle.net/2186/ksl:ditalldar00182

Letter from Charles Darwin to C. W. Crocker [Charles William Crocker], 3425

Description

Transcription: "My dear Sir Last summer you gave me hopes that you would give me information with respect to your observations on Hollyhocks. Will you
Show moreTranscription: "My dear Sir Last summer you gave me hopes that you would give me information with respect to your observations on Hollyhocks. Will you forgive me for reminding you, that I shd. be very glad to hear the result of any of your experiments. I very much wish I could persuade you to try some experiments on the relative fertility, or number of seed, of some crosses between the most distinct varieties. I have always wished & intended to try this myself, but I have so many “irons in the fire” that I know not when I shall have the time. Pray excuse me for venturing to trouble you & believe me Dear Sir Yours very faithfully Charles Darwin" Letter sent from Down, Beckenham, Kent, England
The Robert M. Stecher Collection of Charles Darwin Books and Manuscripts
Show less

Creator

Darwin, Charles, 1809-1882

Permanent URL

http://hdl.handle.net/2186/ksl:ditalldar00192

Letter from Charles Darwin to Charles Kingsley, 3439

Description

Transcription: "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 Glasg
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
Show less

Creator

Darwin, Charles, 1809-1882

Permanent URL

http://hdl.handle.net/2186/ksl:ditalldar00210

Letter from Charles Darwin to D. F. [Dorothy Fanny] Nevill, 9632

Description

Darwin returns a Drosera, from which he cut a piece for microscopic examination. Utricularia montana just arrived. Transcription: "The Lady Dorothy Ne
Show moreDarwin returns a Drosera, from which he cut a piece for microscopic examination. Utricularia montana just arrived. Transcription: "The Lady Dorothy Nevill Dangstein Petersfield. Sept 11th Down, Beckenham, Kent Dear Lady Dorothy Nevill I send this afternoon the [] to the [] packed up as carefully as we can, + I sincerely hope it may reach you safely. It has interested me in a high degree + differs in one important respect from any other species which I have seen. I hope that you will not consider me [] when I tell you that I [] off for [] examination, one lead in fact, one [] lead, + a portion of two old leaves. But I cut them from the middle so that they will hardly be verified. I beg leave to remain your ladyship Most truly obliged Charles Darwin" Letter sent from Down, Beckenham, Kent, England. Envelope included.
The Robert M. Stecher Collection of Charles Darwin Books and Manuscripts
Show less

Creator

Darwin, Charles, 1809-1882

Permanent URL

http://hdl.handle.net/2186/ksl:ditalldar00213

Letter from Charles Darwin to D. F. Nevill [Dorothy Fanny Nevill], 10789

Description

Darwin thanks Nevill for references. The Apocyanaceae that catch Lepidoptera represent the most gratuitous case of cruelty in nature known to Darwin,
Show moreDarwin thanks Nevill for references. The Apocyanaceae that catch Lepidoptera represent the most gratuitous case of cruelty in nature known to Darwin, since the captured butterfly is of no use to the plant. Transcription: "Jan 15-1877 Down, Beckenham, Kent. Railway Station Orpington.S.E.R. Dear Lady Dorothy Nevill I am much obliged for all the trouble which you have so kindly taken. One of your references relates to the [] catching Lepidoptera, + this is the most gratuitous case of cruelty known to me in a state of nature, for apparently such captures are of no care to the plant + assuredly not to the [] butterfly or moth. Your Ladyship I am very obliged Ch. Darwin" Letter sent from Down, Beckenham, Kent, England.
The Robert M. Stecher Collection of Charles Darwin Books and Manuscripts
Show less

Creator

Darwin, Charles, 1809-1882

Permanent URL

http://hdl.handle.net/2186/ksl:ditalldar00218

Letter from Charles Darwin to Daniel MacKintosh, 12259

Description

Darwin 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 e
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
The Robert M. Stecher Collection of Charles Darwin Books and Manuscripts
Show less

Creator

Darwin, Charles, 1809-1882

Permanent URL

http://hdl.handle.net/2186/ksl:ditalldar00209

Letter from Charles Darwin to D.F. Nevill [Dorothy Fanny Nevill], 9634

Description

Darwin has never before seen the Utricularia Neville has sent. Hooker had told him about it. Asks that her gardener observe young Utricularia. Darwin
Show moreDarwin has never before seen the Utricularia Neville has sent. Hooker had told him about it. Asks that her gardener observe young Utricularia. Darwin is interested in internal structure of little balls on bladders. Also sends photograph [not included]. Transcription: "Sept. 12" [.1874] Down, Beckenham, Kent. Dear Lady Dorothy Neville I have never seen the [] of which Dr. Hooker told me + which I am nearly sure is the one which you have so very kindly sent me; + therefore I do not know what the bladders are like. From analogy I suppose that they are little globular bodies borne on separate footstalks. All that I can see on the young plant sent to me, are slight swellings in the footstalks of the leaves. Dr. Hooker will be here in a fortnight, + then I will consult him. It would be a very great kindness if you would tell your head gardener to look at the young plants, as they grow a little taller + observe whether any little balls or bladders are produced on little short footstalks, + if so let me see the plants. Whether with my indifferent means + ignorant gardener I shall succeed in growing the [], I know not. I have much pleasure in enclosing my photograph. Your Siamese cat must be a vy curious animal. Pray believe me your ladyship Most truly obliged Ch. Darwin P.S. I shd guess that the 10-celled bladders on your [] wd be about as big as one or two pin's head, + carried on a short" Letter sent from Down, Beckenham, Kent, England
The Robert M. Stecher Collection of Charles Darwin Books and Manuscripts
Show less

Creator

Darwin, Charles, 1809-1882

Permanent URL

http://hdl.handle.net/2186/ksl:ditalldar00215