CHAPTER 2.VII.
PUBLICATION OF THE 'DESCENT OF MAN.'
WORK ON 'EXPRESSION.'
1871-1873.
[The last revise of the 'Descent of Man' was corrected on January 15th,
1871, so that the book occupied him for about three years. He wrote to Sir
J. Hooker: "I finished the last proofs of my book a few days ago, the work
half-killed me, and I have not the most remote idea whether the book is
worth publishing."
He also wrote to Dr. Gray:--
"I have finished my book on the 'Descent of Man,' etc., and its publication
is delayed only by the Index: when published, I will send you a copy, but
I do not know that you will care about it. Parts, as on the moral sense,
will, I dare say, aggravate you, and if I hear from you, I shall probably
receive a few stabs from your polished stiletto of a pen."
The book was published on February 24, 1871. 2500 copies were printed at
first, and 5000 more before the end of the year. My father notes that he
received for this edition 1470 pounds. The letters given in the present
chapter deal with its reception, and also with the progress of the work on
Expression. The letters are given, approximately, in chronological order,
an arrangement which necessarily separates letters of kindred subject-
matter, but gives perhaps a truer picture of the mingled interests and
labours of my father's life.
Nothing can give a better idea (in small compass) of the growth of
Evolutionism and its position at this time, than a quotation from Mr.
Huxley ('Contemporary Review,' 1871.):--
"The gradual lapse of time has now separated us by more than a decade from
the date of the publication of the 'Origin of Species;' and whatever may be
thought or said about Mr. Darwin's doctrines, or the manner in which he has
propounded them, this much is certain, that in a dozen years the 'Origin of
Species' has worked as complete a revolution in Biological Science as the
'Principia' did in Astronomy;" and it has done so, "because, in the words
of Helmholtz, it contains 'an essentially new creative thought.' And, as
time has slipped by, a happy change has come over Mr. Darwin's critics.
The mixture of ignorance and insolence which at first characterised a large
proportion of the attacks with which he was assailed, is no longer the sad
distinction of anti-Darwinian criticism."
A passage in the Introduction to the 'Descent of Man' shows that the author
recognised clearly this improvement in the position of Evolution. "When a
naturalist like Carl Vogt ventures to say in his address, as President of
the National Institution of Geneva (1869), 'personne en Europe au moins,
n'ose plus soutenir la creation independante et de toutes pieces, des
especes,' it is manifest that at least a large number of naturalists must
admit that species are the modified descendants of other species; and this
especially holds good with the younger and rising naturalists...Of the
older and honoured chiefs in natural science, many, unfortunately, are
still opposed to Evolution in every form."
In Mr. James Hague's pleasantly written article, "A Reminiscence of Mr.
Darwin" ('Harper's Magazine,' October 1884), he describes a visit to my
father "early in 1871" (it must have been at the end of February, within a
week after the publication of the book.), shortly after the publication of
the 'Descent of Man.' Mr. Hague represents my father as "much impressed by
the general assent with which his views had been received," and as
remarking that "everybody is talking about it without being shocked."
Later in the year the reception of the book is described in different
language in the 'Edinburgh Review' (July 1871. An adverse criticism. The
reviewer sums up by saying that: "Never perhaps in the history of
philosophy have such wide generalisations been derived from such a small
basis of fact."): "On every side it is raising a storm of mingled wrath,
wonder, and admiration."
With regard to the subsequent reception of the 'Descent of Man,' my father
wrote to Dr. Dohrn, February 3, 1872:--
"I did not know until reading your article (In 'Das Ausland.'), that my
'Descent of Man' had excited so much furore in Germany. It has had an
immense circulation in this country and in America, but has met the
approval of hardly any naturalists as far as I know. Therefore I suppose
it was a mistake on my part to publish it; but, anyhow, it will pave the
way for some better work."
The book on the 'Expression of the Emotions' was begun on January 17th,
1871, the last proof of the 'Descent of Man' having been finished on
January 15th. The rough copy was finished by April 27th, and shortly after
this (in June) the work was interrupted by the preparation of a sixth
edition of the 'Origin.' In November and December the proofs of the
'Expression' book were taken in hand, and occupied him until the following
year, when the book was published.
Some references to the work on Expression have occurred in letters already
given, showing that the foundation of the book was, to some extent, laid
down for some years before he began to write it. Thus he wrote to Dr. Asa
Gray, April 15, 1867:--
"I have been lately getting up and looking over my old notes on Expression,
and fear that I shall not make so much of my hobby-horse as I thought I
could; nevertheless, it seems to me a curious subject which has been
strangely neglected."
It should, however, be remembered that the subject had been before his
mind, more or less, from 1837 or 1838, as I judge from entries in his early
note-books. It was in December, 1839, that he began to make observations
on children.
The work required much correspondence, not only with missionaries and
others living among savages, to whom he sent his printed queries, but among
physiologists and physicians. He obtained much information from Professor
Donders, Sir W. Bowman, Sir James Paget, Dr. W. Ogle, Dr. Crichton Browne,
as well as from other observers.
The first letter refers to the 'Descent of Man.']
CHARLES DARWIN TO A.R. WALLACE.
Down, January 30 [1871].
My dear Wallace,
(In the note referred to, dated January 27, Mr. Wallace wrote:--
"Many thanks for your first volume which I have just finished reading
through with the greatest pleasure and interest; and I have also to thank
you for the great tenderness with which you have treated me and my
heresies."
The heresy is the limitation of natural selection as applied to man. My
father wrote ('Descent of Man,' i. page 137):--"I cannot therefore
understand how it is that Mr. Wallace maintains that 'natural selection
could only have endowed the savage with a brain a little superior to that
of an ape.'" In the above quoted letter Mr. Wallace wrote:--"Your chapters
on 'Man' are of intense interest, but as touching my special heresy not as
yet altogether convincing, though of course I fully agree with every word
and every argument which goes to prove the evolution or development of man
out of a lower form.")
Your note has given me very great pleasure, chiefly because I was so
anxious not to treat you with the least disrespect, and it is so difficult
to speak fairly when differing from any one. If I had offended you, it
would have grieved me more than you will readily believe. Secondly, I am
greatly pleased to hear that Volume I. interests you; I have got so sick of
the whole subject that I felt in utter doubt about the value of any part.
I intended, when speaking of females not having been specially modified for
protection, to include the prevention of characters acquired by the male
being transmitted to the female; but I now see it would have been better to
have said "specially acted on," or some such term. Possibly my intention
may be clearer in Volume II. Let me say that my conclusions are chiefly
founded on the consideration of all animals taken in a body, bearing in
mind how common the rules of sexual differences appear to be in all
classes. The first copy of the chapter on Lepidoptera agreed pretty
closely with you. I then worked on, came back to Lepidoptera, and thought
myself compelled to alter it--finished Sexual Selection and for the last
time went over Lepidoptera, and again I felt forced to alter it. I hope to
God there will be nothing disagreeable to you in Volume II., and that I
have spoken fairly of your views; I am fearful on this head, because I have
just read (but not with sufficient care) Mivart's book ('The Genesis of
Species,' by St. G. Mivart, 1871.), and I feel ABSOLUTELY CERTAIN that he
meant to be fair (but he was stimulated by theological fervour); yet I do
not think he has been quite fair...The part which, I think, will have most
influence is where he gives the whole series of cases like that of the
whalebone, in which we cannot explain the gradational steps; but such cases
have no weight on my mind--if a few fish were extinct, who on earth would
have ventured even to conjecture that lungs had originated in a swim-
bladder? In such a case as the Thylacine, I think he was bound to say that
the resemblance of the jaw to that of the dog is superficial; the number
and correspondence and development of teeth being widely different. I
think again when speaking of the necessity of altering a number of
characters together, he ought to have thought of man having power by
selection to modify simultaneously or almost simultaneously many points, as
in making a greyhound or racehorse--as enlarged upon in my 'Domestic
Animals.' Mivart is savage or contemptuous about my "moral sense," and so
probably will you be. I am extremely pleased that he agrees with my
position, AS FAR AS ANIMAL NATURE IS CONCERNED, of man in the series; or if
anything, thinks I have erred in making him too distinct.
Forgive me for scribbling at such length. You have put me quite in good
spirits; I did so dread having been unintentionally unfair towards your
views. I hope earnestly the second volume will escape as well. I care now
very little what others say. As for our not quite agreeing, really in such
complex subjects, it is almost impossible for two men who arrive
independently at their conclusions to agree fully, it would be unnatural
for them to do so.
Yours ever, very sincerely,
CH. DARWIN.
[Professor Haeckel seems to have been one of the first to write to my
father about the 'Descent of Man.' I quote from his reply:--
"I must send you a few words to thank you for your interesting, and I may
truly say, charming letter. I am delighted that you approve of my book, as
far as you have read it. I felt very great difficulty and doubt how often
I ought to allude to what you have published; strictly speaking every idea,
although occurring independently to me, if published by you previously
ought to have appeared as if taken from your works, but this would have
made my book very dull reading; and I hoped that a full acknowledgment at
the beginning would suffice. (In the introduction to the 'Descent of Man'
the author wrote:--
"This last naturalist [Haeckel]...has recently...published his 'Naturliche
Schopfungs-geschichte,' in which he fully discusses the genealogy of man.
If this work had appeared before my essay had been written, I should
probably never have completed it. Almost all the conclusions at which I
have arrived, I find confirmed by this naturalist, whose knowledge on many
points is much fuller than mine.") I cannot tell you how glad I am to find
that I have expressed my high admiration of your labours with sufficient
clearness; I am sure that I have not expressed it too strongly."]
CHARLES DARWIN TO A.R. WALLACE.
Down, March 16, 1871.
My dear Wallace,
I have just read your grand review. ("Academy", March 15, 1871.) It is in
every way as kindly expressed towards myself as it is excellent in matter.
The Lyells have been here, and Sir C. remarked that no one wrote such good
scientific reviews as you, and as Miss Buckley added, you delight in
picking out all that is good, though very far from blind to the bad. In
all this I most entirely agree. I shall always consider your review as a
great honour; and however much my book may hereafter be abused, as no doubt
it will be, your review will console me, notwithstanding that we differ so
greatly. I will keep your objections to my views in my mind, but I fear
that the latter are almost stereotyped in my mind. I thought for long
weeks about the inheritance and selection difficulty, and covered quires of
paper with notes in trying to get out of it, but could not, though clearly
seeing that it would be a great relief if I could. I will confine myself
to two or three remarks. I have been much impressed with what you urge
against colour (Mr. Wallace says that the pairing of butterflies is
probably determined by the fact that one male is stronger-winged, or more
pertinacious than the rest, rather than by the choice of the females. He
quotes the case of caterpillars which are brightly coloured and yet
sexless. Mr. Wallace also makes the good criticism that the 'Descent of
Man' consists of two books mixed together.) in the case of insects, having
been acquired through sexual selection. I always saw that the evidence was
very weak; but I still think, if it be admitted that the musical
instruments of insects have been gained through sexual selection, that
there is not the least improbability in colour having been thus gained.
Your argument with respect to the denudation of mankind and also to
insects, that taste on the part of one sex would have to remain nearly the
same during many generations, in order that sexual selection should produce
any effect, I agree to; and I think this argument would be sound if used by
one who denied that, for instance, the plumes of birds of Paradise had been
so gained. I believe you admit this, and if so I do not see how your
argument applies in other cases. I have recognized for some short time
that I have made a great omission in not having discussed, as far as I
could, the acquisition of taste, its inherited nature, and its permanence
within pretty close limits for long periods.
[With regard to the success of the 'Descent of Man,' I quote from a letter
to Professor Ray Lankester (March 22, 1871):--
"I think you will be glad to hear, as a proof of the increasing liberality
of England, that my book has sold wonderfully...and as yet no abuse (though
some, no doubt, will come, strong enough), and only contempt even in the
poor old 'Athenaeum'."
As to reviews that struck him he wrote to Mr. Wallace (March 24, 1871):--
"There is a very striking second article on my book in the 'Pall Mall'.
The articles in the "Spectator" ("Spectator", March 11 and 18, 1871. With
regard to the evolution of conscience the reviewer thinks that my father
comes much nearer to the "kernel of the psychological problem" than many of
his predecessors. The second article contains a good discussion of the
bearing of the book on the question of design, and concludes by finding in
it a vindication of Theism more wonderful than that in Paley's 'Natural
Theology.') have also interested me much."
On March 20 he wrote to Mr. Murray:--
"Many thanks for the "Nonconformist" [March 8, 1871]. I like to see all
that is written, and it is of some real use. If you hear of reviewers in
out-of-the-way papers, especially the religious, as "Record", "Guardian",
"Tablet", kindly inform me. It is wonderful that there has been no abuse
("I feel a full conviction that my chapter on man will excite attention and
plenty of abuse, and I suppose abuse is as good as praise for selling a
book."--(from a letter to Mr. Murray, January 31, 1867.) as yet, but I
suppose I shall not escape. On the whole, the reviews have been highly
favourable."
The following extract from a letter to Mr. Murray (April 13, 1871) refers
to a review in the "Times". ("Times", April 7 and 8, 1871. The review is
not only unfavourable as regards the book under discussion, but also as
regards Evolution in general, as the following citation will show: "Even
had it been rendered highly probable, which we doubt, that the animal
creation has been developed into its numerous and widely different
varieties by mere evolution, it would still require an independent
investigation of overwhelming force and completeness to justify the
presumption that man is but a term in this self-evolving series.")
"I have no idea who wrote the "Times" review. He has no knowledge of
science, and seems to me a wind-bag full of metaphysics and classics, so
that I do not much regard his adverse judgment, though I suppose it will
injure the sale."
A review of the 'Descent of Man,' which my father spoke of as "capital,"
appeared in the "Saturday Review" (March 4 and 11, 1871). A passage from
the first notice (March 4) may be quoted in illustration of the broad basis
as regards general acceptance, on which the doctrine of Evolution now
stood: "He claims to have brought man himself, his origin and
constitution, within that unity which he had previously sought to trace
through all lower animal forms. The growth of opinion in the interval, due
in chief measure to his own intermediate works, has placed the discussion
of this problem in a position very much in advance of that held by it
fifteen years ago. The problem of Evolution is hardly any longer to be
treated as one of first principles; nor has Mr. Darwin to do battle for a
first hearing of his central hypothesis, upborne as it is by a phalanx of
names full of distinction and promise, in either hemisphere."
The infolded point of the human ear, discovered by Mr. Woolner, and
described in the 'Descent of Man,' seems especially to have struck the
popular imagination; my father wrote to Mr. Woolner:--
"The tips to the ears have become quite celebrated. One reviewer
('Nature') says they ought to be called, as I suggested in joke, Angulus
Woolnerianus. ('Nature' April 6, 1871. The term suggested is Angulus
Woolnerii.) A German is very proud to find that he has the tips well
developed, and I believe will send me a photograph of his ears."]
CHARLES DARWIN TO JOHN BRODIE INNES. (Rev. J. Brodie Innes, of Milton
Brodie, formerly Vicar of Down.)
Down, May 29 [1871].
My dear Innes,
I have been very glad to receive your pleasant letter, for to tell you the
truth, I have sometimes wondered whether you would not think me an outcast
and a reprobate after the publication of my last book ['Descent']. (In a
former letter of my father's to Mr. Innes:--"We often differed, but you are
one of those rare mortals from whom one can differ and yet feel no shade of
animosity, and that is a thing which I should feel very proud of, if any
one could say it of me.") I do not wonder at all at your not agreeing with
me, for a good many professed naturalists do not. Yet when I see in how
extraordinary a manner the judgment of naturalists has changed since I
published the 'Origin,' I feel convinced that there will be in ten years
quite as much unanimity about man, as far as his corporeal frame is
concerned...
[The following letters addressed to Dr. Ogle deal with the progress of the
work on expression.]
Down, March 12 [1871].
My dear Dr. Ogle,
I have received both your letters, and they tell me all that I wanted to
know in the clearest possible way, as, indeed, all your letters have ever
done. I thank you cordially. I will give the case of the murderer
('Expression of the Emotions,' page 294. The arrest of a murderer, as
witnessed by Dr. Ogle in a hospital.) in my hobby-horse essay on
expression. I fear that the Eustachian tube question must have cost you a
deal of labour; it is quite a complete little essay. It is pretty clear
that the mouth is not opened under surprise merely to improve the hearing.
Yet why do deaf men generally keep their mouths open? The other day a man
here was mimicking a deaf friend, leaning his head forward and sideways to
the speaker, with his mouth well open; it was a lifelike representation of
a deaf man. Shakespeare somewhere says: "Hold your breath, listen" or
"hark," I forget which. Surprise hurries the breath, and it seems to me
one can breathe, at least hurriedly, much quieter through the open mouth
than through the nose. I saw the other day you doubted this. As objection
is your province at present, I think breathing through the nose ought to
come within it likewise, so do pray consider this point, and let me hear
your judgment. Consider the nose to be a flower to be fertilised, and then
you will make out all about it. (Dr. Ogle had corresponded with my father
on his own observations on the fertilisation of flowers.) I have had to
allude to your paper on 'Sense of Smell' (Medico-chirurg. Trans. liii.); is
the paging right, namely, 1, 2, 3? If not, I protest by all the gods
against the plan followed by some, of having presentation copies falsely
paged; and so does Rolleston, as he wrote to me the other day. In haste.
Yours very sincerely,
C. DARWIN.
CHARLES DARWIN TO W. OGLE.
Down, March 25 [1871].
My dear Dr. Ogle,
You will think me a horrid bore, but I beg you, IN RELATION TO A NEW POINT
FOR OBSERVATION, to imagine as well as you can that you suddenly come
across some dreadful object, and act with a sudden little start, a SHUDDER
OF HORROR; please do this once or twice, and observe yourself as well as
you can, and AFTERWARDS read the rest of this note, which I have
consequently pinned down. I find, to my surprise, whenever I act thus my
platysma contracts. Does yours? (N.B.--See what a man will do for
science; I began this note with a horrid fib, namely, that I want you to
attend to a new point. (The point was doubtless described as a new one, to
avoid the possibility of Dr. Ogle's attention being directed to the
platysma, a muscle which had been the subject of discussion in other
letters.)) I will try and get some persons thus to act who are so lucky as
not to know that they even possess this muscle, so troublesome for any one
making out about expression. Is a shudder akin to the rigor or shivering
before fever? If so, perhaps the platysma could be observed in such cases.
Paget told me that he had attended much to shivering, and had written in
MS. on the subject, and been much perplexed about it. He mentioned that
passing a catheter often causes shivering. Perhaps I will write to him
about the platysma. He is always most kind in aiding me in all ways, but
he is so overworked that it hurts my conscience to trouble him, for I have
a conscience, little as you have reason to think so. Help me if you can,
and forgive me. Your murderer case has come in splendidly as the acme of
prostration from fear.
Yours very sincerely,
CH. DARWIN.
CHARLES DARWIN TO DR. OGLE.
Down, April 29 [1871].
My dear Dr. Ogle,
I am truly obliged for all the great trouble which you have so kindly
taken. I am sure you have no cause to say that you are sorry you can give
me no definite information, for you have given me far more than I ever
expected to get. The action of the platysma is not very important for me,
but I believe that you will fully understand (for I have always fancied
that our minds were very similar) the intolerable desire I had not to be
utterly baffled. Now I know that it sometimes contracts from fear and from
shuddering, but not apparently from a prolonged state of fear such as the
insane suffer...
[Mr. Mivart's 'Genesis of Species,'--a contribution to the literature of
Evolution, which excited much attention--was published in 1871, before the
appearance of the 'Descent of Man.' To this book the following letter
(June 21, 1871) from the late Chauncey Wright to my father refers.
(Chauncey Wright was born at Northampton, Massachusetts, September 20,
1830, and came of a family settled in that town since 1654. He became in
1852 a computer in the Nautical Almanac office at Cambridge, Mass., and
lived a quiet uneventful life, supported by the small stipend of his
office, and by what he earned from his occasional articles, as well as by a
little teaching. He thought and read much on metaphysical subjects, but on
the whole with an outcome (as far as the world was concerned) not
commensurate to the power of his mind. He seems to have been a man of
strong individuality, and to have made a lasting impression on his friends.
He died in September, 1875.)]:
"I send...revised proofs of an article which will be published in the July
number of the 'North American Review,' sending it in the hope that it will
interest or even be of greater value to you. Mr. Mivart's book ['Genesis
of Species'] of which this article is substantially a review, seems to me a
very good background from which to present the considerations which I have
endeavoured to set forth in the article, in defence and illustration of the
theory of Natural Selection. My special purpose has been to contribute to
the theory by placing it in its proper relations to philosophical enquiries
in general." ('Letters of Chauncey Wright,' by J.B. Thayer. Privately
printed, 1878, page 230.)
With regard to the proofs received from Mr. Wright, my father wrote to Mr.
Wallace:]
Down, July 9 [1871].
My dear Wallace,
I send by this post a review by Chauncey Wright, as I much want your
opinion of it as soon as you can send it. I consider you an incomparably
better critic than I am. The article, though not very clearly written, and
poor in parts from want of knowledge, seems to me admirable. Mivart's book
is producing a great effect against Natural Selection, and more especially
against me. Therefore if you think the article even somewhat good I will
write and get permission to publish it as a shilling pamphlet, together
with the MS. additions (enclosed), for which there was not room at the end
of the review...
I am now at work at a new and cheap edition of the 'Origin,' and shall
answer several points in Mivart's book, and introduce a new chapter for
this purpose; but I treat the subject so much more concretely, and I dare
say less philosophically, than Wright, that we shall not interfere with
each other. You will think me a bigot when I say, after studying Mivart, I
was never before in my life so convinced of the GENERAL (i.e. not in
detail) truth of the views in the 'Origin.' I grieve to see the omission
of the words by Mivart, detected by Wright. ('North American Review,'
volume 113, pages 83, 84. Chauncey Wright points out that the words
omitted are "essential to the point on which he [Mr. Mivart] cites Mr.
Darwin's authority." It should be mentioned that the passage from which
words are omitted is not given within inverted commas by Mr. Mivart.) I
complained to Mivart that in two cases he quotes only the commencement of
sentences by me, and thus modifies my meaning; but I never supposed he
would have omitted words. There are other cases of what I consider unfair
treatment. I conclude with sorrow that though he means to be honourable he
is so bigoted that he cannot act fairly...
CHARLES DARWIN TO CHAUNCEY WRIGHT.
Down, July 14, 1871.
My dear Sir,
I have hardly ever in my life read an article which has given me so much
satisfaction as the review which you have been so kind as to send me. I
agree to almost everything which you say. Your memory must be wonderfully
accurate, for you know my works as well as I do myself, and your power of
grasping other men's thoughts is something quite surprising; and this, as
far as my experience goes, is a very rare quality. As I read on I
perceived how you have acquired this power, viz. by thoroughly analyzing
each word.
...Now I am going to beg a favour. Will you provisionally give me
permission to reprint your article as a shilling pamphlet? I ask only
provisionally, as I have not yet had time to reflect on the subject. It
would cost me, I fancy, with advertisements, some 20 or 30 pounds; but the
worst is that, as I hear, pamphlets never will sell. And this makes me
doubtful. Should you think it too much trouble to send me a title FOR THE
CHANCE? The title ought, I think, to have Mr. Mivart's name on it.
...If you grant permission and send a title, you will kindly understand
that I will first make further enquiries whether there is any chance of a
pamphlet being read.
Pray believe me yours very sincerely obliged,
CH. DARWIN.
[The pamphlet was published in the autumn, and on October 23 my father
wrote to Mr. Wright:--
"It pleases me much that you are satisfied with the appearance of your
pamphlet. I am sure it will do our cause good service; and this same
opinion Huxley has expressed to me. ('Letters of Chauncey Wright,' page
235."]
CHARLES DARWIN TO A.R. WALLACE.
Down, July 12 [1871].
...I feel very doubtful how far I shall succeed in answering Mivart, it is
so difficult to answer objections to doubtful points, and make the
discussion readable. I shall make only a selection. The worst of it is,
that I cannot possibly hunt through all my references for isolated points,
it would take me three weeks of intolerably hard work. I wish I had your
power of arguing clearly. At present I feel sick of everything, and if I
could occupy my time and forget my daily discomforts, or rather miseries, I
would never publish another word. But I shall cheer up, I dare say, soon,
having only just got over a bad attack. Farewell; God knows why I bother
you about myself. I can say nothing more about missing-links than what I
have said. I should rely much on pre-silurian times; but then comes Sir W.
Thomson like an odious spectre. Farewell.
...There is a most cutting review of me in the 'Quarterly' (July 1871.); I
have only read a few pages. The skill and style make me think of Mivart.
I shall soon be viewed as the most despicable of men. This 'Quarterly
Review' tempts me to republish Ch. Wright, even if not read by any one,
just to show some one will say a word against Mivart, and that his (i.e.
Mivart's) remarks ought not to be swallowed without some reflection...God
knows whether my strength and spirit will last out to write a chapter
versus Mivart and others; I do so hate controversy and feel I shall do it
so badly.
[The above-mentioned 'Quarterly' review was the subject of an article by
Mr. Huxley in the November number of the 'Contemporary Review.' Here,
also, are discussed Mr. Wallace's 'Contribution to the Theory of Natural
Selection,' and the second edition of Mr. Mivart's 'Genesis of Species.'
What follows is taken from Mr. Huxley's article. The 'Quarterly' reviewer,
though being to some extent an evolutionist, believes that Man "differs
more from an elephant or a gorilla, than do these from the dust of the
earth on which they tread." The reviewer also declares that my father has
"with needless opposition, set at naught the first principles of both
philosophy and religion." Mr. Huxley passes from the 'Quarterly'
reviewer's further statement, that there is no necessary opposition between
evolution and religion, to the more definite position taken by Mr. Mivart,
that the orthodox authorities of the Roman Catholic Church agree in
distinctly asserting derivative creation, so that "their teachings
harmonise with all that modern science can possibly require." Here Mr.
Huxley felt the want of that "study of Christian philosophy" (at any rate,
in its Jesuitic garb), which Mr. Mivart speaks of, and it was a want he at
once set to work to fill up. He was then staying at St. Andrews, whence he
wrote to my father:--
"By great good luck there is an excellent library here, with a good copy of
Suarez (The learned Jesuit on whom Mr. Mivart mainly relies.), in a dozen
big folios. Among these I dived, to the great astonishment of the
librarian, and looking into them 'as the careful robin eyes the delver's
toil' (vide 'Idylls'), I carried off the two venerable clasped volumes
which were most promising." Even those who know Mr. Huxley's unrivalled
power of tearing the heart out of a book must marvel at the skill with
which he has made Suarez speak on his side. "So I have come out," he
wrote, "in the new character of a defender of Catholic orthodoxy, and upset
Mivart out of the mouth of his own prophet."
The remainder of Mr. Huxley's critique is largely occupied with a
dissection of the 'Quarterly' reviewer's psychology, and his ethical views.
He deals, too, with Mr. Wallace's objections to the doctrine of Evolution
by natural causes when applied to the mental faculties of Man. Finally, he
devotes a couple of pages to justifying his description of the 'Quarterly'
reviewer's "treatment of Mr. Darwin as alike unjust and unbecoming."
It will be seen that the two following letters were written before the
publication of Mr. Huxley's article.]
CHARLES DARWIN TO T.H. HUXLEY.
Down, September 21 [1871].
My dear Huxley,
Your letter has pleased me in many ways, to a wonderful degree...What a
wonderful man you are to grapple with those old metaphysico-divinity books.
It quite delights me that you are going to some extent to answer and attack
Mivart. His book, as you say, has produced a great effect; yesterday I
perceived the reverberations from it, even from Italy. It was this that
made me ask Chauncey Wright to publish at my expense his article, which
seems to me very clever, though ill-written. He has not knowledge enough
to grapple with Mivart in detail. I think there can be no shadow of doubt
that he is the author of the article in the 'Quarterly Review'...I am
preparing a new edition of the 'Origin,' and shall introduce a new chapter
in answer to miscellaneous objections, and shall give up the greater part
to answer Mivart's cases of difficulty of incipient structures being of no
use: and I find it can be done easily. He never states his case fairly,
and makes wonderful blunders...The pendulum is now swinging against our
side, but I feel positive it will soon swing the other way; and no mortal
man will do half as much as you in giving it a start in the right
direction, as you did at the first commencement. God forgive me for
writing so long and egotistical a letter; but it is your fault, for you
have so delighted me; I never dreamed that you would have time to say a
word in defence of the cause which you have so often defended. It will be
a long battle, after we are dead and gone...Great is the power of
misrepresentation...
CHARLES DARWIN TO T.H. HUXLEY.
Down, September 30 [1871].
My dear Huxley,
It was very good of you to send the proof-sheets, for I was VERY anxious to
read your article. I have been delighted with it. How you do smash
Mivart's theology: it is almost equal to your article versus Comte
('Fortnightly Review,' 1869. With regard to the relations of Positivism to
Science my father wrote to Mr. Spencer in 1875: "How curious and amusing
it is to see to what an extent the Positivists hate all men of science; I
fancy they are dimly conscious what laughable and gigantic blunders their
prophet made in predicting the course of science."),--that never can be
transcended...But I have been preeminently glad to read your discussion on
[the 'Quarterly' reviewer's] metaphysics, especially about reason and his
definition of it. I felt sure he was wrong, but having only common
observation and sense to trust to, I did not know what to say in my second
edition of my 'Descent.' Now a footnote and reference to you will do the
work...For me, this is one of the most IMPORTANT parts of the review. But
for PLEASURE, I have been particularly glad that my few words ('Descent of
Man,' volume i. page 87. A discussion on the question whether an act done
impulsively or instinctively can be called moral.) on the distinction, if
it can be so called, between Mivart's two forms of morality, caught your
attention. I am so pleased that you take the same view, and give
authorities for it; but I searched Mill in vain on this head. How well you
argue the whole case. I am mounting climax on climax; for after all there
is nothing, I think, better in your whole review than your arguments v.
Wallace on the intellect of savages. I must tell you what Hooker said to
me a few years ago. "When I read Huxley, I feel quite infantile in
intellect." By Jove I have felt the truth of this throughout your review.
What a man you are. There are scores of splendid passages, and vivid
flashes of wit. I have been a good deal more than merely pleased by the
concluding part of your review; and all the more, as I own I felt mortified
by the accusation of bigotry, arrogance, etc., in the 'Quarterly Review.'
But I assure you, he may write his worst, and he will never mortify me
again.
My dear Huxley, yours gratefully,
CHARLES DARWIN.
CHARLES DARWIN TO F. MULLER.
Haredene, Albury, August 2 [1871].
My dear Sir,
Your last letter has interested me greatly; it is wonderfully rich in facts
and original thoughts. First, let me say that I have been much pleased by
what you say about my book. It has had a VERY LARGE sale; but I have been
much abused for it, especially for the chapter on the moral sense; and most
of my reviewers consider the book as a poor affair. God knows what its
merits may really be; all that I know is that I did my best. With
familiarity I think naturalists will accept sexual selection to a greater
extent than they now seem inclined to do. I should very much like to
publish your letter, but I do not see how it could be made intelligible,
without numerous coloured illustrations, but I will consult Mr. Wallace on
this head. I earnestly hope that you keep notes of all your letters, and
that some day you will publish a book: 'Notes of a Naturalist in S.
Brazil,' or some such title. Wallace will hardly admit the possibility of
sexual selection with Lepidoptera, and no doubt it is very improbable.
Therefore, I am very glad to hear of your cases (which I will quote in the
next edition) of the two sets of Hesperiadae, which display their wings
differently, according to which surface is coloured. I cannot believe that
such display is accidental and purposeless...
No fact of your letter has interested me more than that about mimicry. It
is a capital fact about the males pursuing the wrong females. You put the
difficulty of the first steps in imitation in a most striking and
CONVINCING manner. Your idea of sexual selection having aided protective
imitation interests me greatly, for the same idea had occurred to me in
quite different cases, viz. the dulness of all animals in the Galapagos
Islands, Patagonia, etc., and in some other cases; but I was afraid even to
hint at such an idea. Would you object to my giving some such sentence as
follows: "F. Muller suspects that sexual selection may have come into
play, in aid of protective imitation, in a very peculiar manner, which will
appear extremely improbable to those who do not fully believe in sexual
selection. It is that the appreciation of certain colour is developed in
those species which frequently behold other species thus ornamented."
Again let me thank you cordially for your most interesting letter...
CHARLES DARWIN TO E.B. TYLOR.
Down, [September 24, 1871].
My dear Sir,
I hope that you will allow me to have the pleasure of telling you how
greatly I have been interested by your 'Primitive Culture,' now that I have
finished it. It seems to me a most profound work, which will be certain to
have permanent value, and to be referred to for years to come. It is
wonderful how you trace animism from the lower races up to the religious
belief of the highest races. It will make me for the future look at
religion--a belief in the soul, etc.--from a new point of view. How
curious, also, are the survivals or rudiments of old customs...You will
perhaps be surprised at my writing at so late a period, but I have had the
book read aloud to me, and from much ill-health of late could only stand
occasional short reads. The undertaking must have cost you gigantic
labour. Nevertheless, I earnestly hope that you may be induced to treat
morals in the same enlarged yet careful manner, as you have animism. I
fancy from the last chapter that you have thought of this. No man could do
the work so well as you, and the subject assuredly is a most important and
interesting one. You must now possess references which would guide you to
a sound estimation of the morals of savages; and how writers like Wallace,
Lubbock, etc., etc., do differ on this head. Forgive me for troubling you,
and believe me, with much respect,
Yours very sincerely,
CH. DARWIN.
1872.
[At the beginning of the year the sixth edition of the 'Origin,' which had
been begun in June, 1871, was nearly completed. The last sheet was revised
on January 10, 1872, and the book was published in the course of the month.
This volume differs from the previous ones in appearance and size--it
consists of 458 pages instead of 596 pages and is a few ounces lighter; it
is printed on bad paper, in small type, and with the lines unpleasantly
close together. It had, however, one advantage over previous editions,
namely that it was issued at a lower price. It is to be regretted that
this the final edition of the 'Origin' should have appeared in so
unattractive a form; a form which has doubtless kept off many readers from
the book.
The discussion suggested by the 'Genesis of Species' was perhaps the most
important addition to the book. The objection that incipient structures
cannot be of use was dealt with in some detail, because it seemed to the
author that this was the point in Mr. Mivart's book which has struck most
readers in England.
It is a striking proof of how wide and general had become the acceptance of
his views that my father found it necessary to insert (sixth edition, page
424), the sentence: "As a record of a former state of things, I have
retained in the foregoing paragraphs and also elsewhere, several sentences
which imply that naturalists believe in the separate creation of each
species; and I have been much censured for having thus expressed myself.
But undoubtedly this was the general belief when the first edition of the
present work appeared...Now things are wholly changed, and almost every
naturalist admits the great principle of evolution."
A small correction introduced into this sixth edition is connected with one
of his minor papers: "Note on the habits of the Pampas Woodpecker."
(Zoolog. Soc. Proc. 1870.) In the fifth edition of the 'Origin,' page 220,
he wrote:--
"Yet as I can assert not only from my own observation, but from that of the
accurate Azara, it [the ground woodpecker] never climbs a tree." The paper
in question was a reply to Mr. Hudson's remarks on the woodpecker in a
previous number of the same journal. The last sentence of my father's
paper is worth quoting for its temperate tone: "Finally, I trust that Mr.
Hudson is mistaken when he says that any one acquainted with the habits of
this bird might be induced to believe that I 'had purposely wrested the
truth' in order to prove my theory. He exonerates me from this charge; but
I should be loath to think that there are many naturalists who, without any
evidence, would accuse a fellow-worker of telling a deliberate falsehood to
prove his theory." In the sixth edition, page 142, the passage runs "in
certain large districts it does not climb trees." And he goes on to give
Mr. Hudson's statement that in other regions it does frequent trees.
One of the additions in the sixth edition (page 149), was a reference to
Mr. A. Hyatt's and Professor Cope's theory of "acceleration." With regard
to this he wrote (October 10, 1872) in characteristic words to Mr. Hyatt:--
"Permit me to take this opportunity to express my sincere regret at having
committed two grave errors in the last edition of my 'Origin of Species,'
in my allusion to yours and Professor Cope's views on acceleration and
retardation of development. I had thought that Professor Cope had preceded
you; but I now well remember having formerly read with lively interest, and
marked, a paper by you somewhere in my library, on fossil Cephalapods with
remarks on the subject. It seems also that I have quite misrepresented
your joint view. This has vexed me much. I confess that I have never been
able to grasp fully what you wish to show, and I presume that this must be
owing to some dulness on my part."
Lastly, it may be mentioned that this cheap edition being to some extent
intended as a popular one, was made to include a glossary of technical
terms, "given because several readers have complained...that some of the
terms used were unintelligible to them." The glossary was compiled by Mr.
Dallas, and being an excellent collection of clear and sufficient
definitions, must have proved useful to many readers.]
CHARLES DARWIN TO J.L.A. DE QUATREFAGES.
Down, January 15, 1872.
My dear Sir,
I am much obliged for your very kind letter and exertions in my favour. I
had thought that the publication of my last book ['Descent of Man'] would
have destroyed all your sympathy with me, but though I estimated very
highly your great liberality of mind, it seems that I underrated it.
I am gratified to hear that M. Lacaze-Duthiers will vote (He was not
elected as a corresponding member of the French Academy until 1878.) for
me, for I have long honoured his name. I cannot help regretting that you
should expend your valuable time in trying to obtain for me the honour of
election, for I fear, judging from the last time, that all your labour will
be in vain. Whatever the result may be, I shall always retain the most
lively recollection of your sympathy and kindness, and this will quite
console me for my rejection.
With much respect and esteem, I remain, dear Sir,
Yours truly obliged,
CHARLES DARWIN.
P.S.--With respect to the great stress which you lay on man walking on two
legs, whilst the quadrumana go on all fours, permit me to remind you that
no one much values the great difference in the mode of locomotion, and
consequently in structure, between seals and the terrestrial carnivora, or
between the almost biped kangaroos and other marsupials.
CHARLES DARWIN TO AUGUST WEISMANN. (Professor of Zoology in Freiburg.)
Down, April 5, 1872.
My dear Sir,
I have now read your essay ('Ueber den Einfluss der Isolirung auf die
Artbildung.' Leipzig, 1872.) with very great interest. Your view of the
'Origin' of local races through "Amixie," is altogether new to me, and
seems to throw an important light on an obscure problem. There is,
however, something strange about the periods or endurance of variability.
I formerly endeavoured to investigate the subject, not by looking to past
time, but to species of the same genus widely distributed; and I found in
many cases that all the species, with perhaps one or two exceptions, were
variable. It would be a very interesting subject for a conchologist to
investigate, viz., whether the species of the same genus were variable
during many successive geological formations. I began to make enquiries on
this head, but failed in this, as in so many other things, from the want of
time and strength. In your remarks on crossing, you do not, as it seems to
me, lay nearly stress enough on the increased vigour of the offspring
derived from parents which have been exposed to different conditions. I
have during the last five years been making experiments on this subject
with plants, and have been astonished at the results, which have not yet
been published.
In the first part of your essay, I thought that you wasted (to use an
English expression) too much powder and shot on M. Wagner (Prof. Wagner has
written two essays on the same subject. 'Die Darwin'sche Theorie und das
Migrationsgesetz, in 1868, and 'Ueber den Einfluss der Geographischen
Isolirung, etc.,' an address to the Bavarian Academy of Sciences at Munich,
1870.); but I changed my opinion when I saw how admirably you treated the
whole case, and how well you used the facts about the Planorbis. I wish I
had studied this latter case more carefully. The manner in which, as you
show, the different varieties blend together and make a constant whole,
agrees perfectly with my hypothetical illustrations.
Many years ago the late E. Forbes described three closely consecutive beds
in a secondary formation, each with representative forms of the same fresh-
water shells: the case is evidently analogous with that of Hilgendorf
("Ueber Planorbis multiformis im Steinheimer Susswasser-kalk."
Monatsbericht of the Berlin Academy, 1866.), but the interesting connecting
varieties or links were here absent. I rejoice to think that I formerly
said as emphatically as I could, that neither isolation nor time by
themselves do anything for the modification of species. Hardly anything in
your essay has pleased me so much personally, as to find that you believe
to a certain extent in sexual selection. As far as I can judge, very few
naturalists believe in this. I may have erred on many points, and extended
the doctrine too far, but I feel a strong conviction that sexual selection
will hereafter be admitted to be a powerful agency. I cannot agree with
what you say about the taste for beauty in animals not easily varying. It
may be suspected that even the habit of viewing differently coloured
surrounding objects would influence their taste, and Fritz Muller even goes
so far as to believe that the sight of gaudy butterflies might influence
the taste of distinct species. There are many remarks and statements in
your essay which have interested me greatly, and I thank you for the
pleasure which I have received from reading it.
With sincere respect, I remain,
My dear Sir, yours very faithfully,
CHARLES DARWIN.
P.S.--If you should ever be induced to consider the whole doctrine of
sexual selection, I think that you will be led to the conclusion, that
characters thus gained by one sex are very commonly transferred in a
greater or less degree to the other sex.
[With regard to Moritz Wagner's first Essay, my father wrote to that
naturalist, apparently in 1868:]
Dear and respected Sir,
I thank you sincerely for sending me your 'Migrationsgesetz, etc.,' and for
the very kind and most honourable notice which you have taken of my works.
That a naturalist who has travelled into so many and such distant regions,
and who has studied animals of so many classes, should, to a considerable
extent, agree with me, is, I can assure you, the highest gratification of
which I am capable...Although I saw the effects of isolation in the case of
islands and mountain-ranges, and knew of a few instances of rivers, yet the
greater number of your facts were quite unknown to me. I now see that from
the want of knowledge I did not make nearly sufficient use of the views
which you advocate; and I almost wish I could believe in its importance to
the same extent with you; for you well show, in a manner which never
occurred to me, that it removes many difficulties and objections. But I
must still believe that in many large areas all the individuals of the same
species have been slowly modified, in the same manner, for instance, as the
English race-horse has been improved, that is by the continued selection of
the fleetest individuals, without any separation. But I admit that by this
process two or more new species could hardly be found within the same
limited area; some degree of separation, if not indispensable, would be
highly advantageous; and here your facts and views will be of great
value...
[The following letter bears on the same subject. It refers to Professor M.
Wagner's Essay, published in "Das Ausland", May 31, 1875:]
CHARLES DARWIN TO MORITZ WAGNER.
Down, October 13, 1876.
Dear Sir,
I have now finished reading your essays, which have interested me in a very
high degree, notwithstanding that I differ much from you on various points.
For instance, several considerations make me doubt whether species are much
more variable at one period than at another, except through the agency of
changed conditions. I wish, however, that I could believe in this
doctrine, as it removes many difficulties. But my strongest objection to
your theory is that it does not explain the manifold adaptations in
structure in every organic being--for instance in a Picus for climbing
trees and catching insects--or in a Strix for catching animals at night,
and so on ad infinitum. No theory is in the least satisfactory to me
unless it clearly explains such adaptations. I think that you
misunderstand my views on isolation. I believe that all the individuals of
a species can be slowly modified within the same district, in nearly the
same manner as man effects by what I have called the process of unconscious
selection...I do not believe that one species will give birth to two or
more new species as long as they are mingled together within the same
district. Nevertheless I cannot doubt that many new species have been
simultaneously developed within the same large continental area; and in my
'Origin of Species' I endeavoured to explain how two new species might be
developed, although they met and intermingled on the BORDERS of their
range. It would have been a strange fact if I had overlooked the
importance of isolation, seeing that it was such cases as that of the
Galapagos Archipelago, which chiefly led me to study the origin of species.
In my opinion the greatest error which I have committed, has been not
allowing sufficient weight to the direct action of the environment, i.e.
food, climate, etc., independently of natural selection. Modifications
thus caused, which are neither of advantage nor disadvantage to the
modified organism, would be especially favoured, as I can now see chiefly
through your observations, by isolation in a small area, where only a few
individuals lived under nearly uniform conditions.
When I wrote the 'Origin,' and for some years afterwards, I could find
little good evidence of the direct action of the environment; now there is
a large body of evidence, and your case of the Saturnia is one of the most
remarkable of which I have heard. Although we differ so greatly, I hope
that you will permit me to express my respect for your long-continued and
successful labours in the good cause of natural science.
I remain, dear Sir, yours very faithfully,
CHARLES DARWIN.
[The two following letters are also of interest as bearing on my father's
views on the action of isolation as regards the origin of new species:]
CHARLES DARWIN TO K. SEMPER.
Down, November 26, 1878.
My dear Professor Semper,
When I published the sixth edition of the 'Origin,' I thought a good deal
on the subject to which you refer, and the opinion therein expressed was my
deliberate conviction. I went as far as I could, perhaps too far in
agreement with Wagner; since that time I have seen no reason to change my
mind, but then I must add that my attention has been absorbed on other
subjects. There are two different classes of cases, as it appears to me,
viz. those in which a species becomes slowly modified in the same country
(of which I cannot doubt there are innumerable instances) and those cases
in which a species splits into two or three or more new species, and in the
latter case, I should think nearly perfect separation would greatly aid in
their "specification," to coin a new word.
I am very glad that you are taking up this subject, for you will be sure to
throw much light on it. I remember well, long ago, oscillating much; when
I thought of the Fauna and Flora of the Galapagos Islands I was all for
isolation, when I thought of S. America I doubted much. Pray believe me,
Yours very sincerely,
CH. DARWIN.
P.S.--I hope that this letter will not be quite illegible, but I have no
amanuensis at present.
CHARLES DARWIN TO K. SEMPER.
Down, November 30, 1878.
Dear Professor Semper,
Since writing I have recalled some of the thoughts and conclusions which
have passed through my mind of late years. In North America, in going from
north to south or from east to west, it is clear that the changed
conditions of life have modified the organisms in the different regions, so
that they now form distinct races or even species. It is further clear
that in isolated districts, however small, the inhabitants almost always
get slightly modified, and how far this is due to the nature of the
slightly different conditions to which they are exposed, and how far to
mere interbreeding, in the manner explained by Weismann, I can form no
opinion. The same difficulty occurred to me (as shown in my 'Variation of
Animals and Plants under Domestication') with respect to the aboriginal
breeds of cattle, sheep, etc., in the separated districts of Great Britain,
and indeed throughout Europe. As our knowledge advances, very slight
differences, considered by systematists as of no importance in structure,
are continually found to be functionally important; and I have been
especially struck with this fact in the case of plants to which my
observations have of late years been confined. Therefore it seems to me
rather rash to consider the slight differences between representative
species, for instance those inhabiting the different islands of the same
archipelago, as of no functional importance, and as not in any way due to
natural selection. With respect to all adapted structures, and these are
innumerable, I cannot see how M. Wagner's view throws any light, nor indeed
do I see at all more clearly than I did before, from the numerous cases
which he has brought forward, how and why it is that a long isolated form
should almost always become slightly modified. I do not know whether you
will care about hearing my further opinion on the point in question, for as
before remarked I have not attended much of late years to such questions,
thinking it prudent, now that I am growing old, to work at easier subjects.
Believe me, yours very sincerely,
CH. DARWIN.
I hope and trust that you will throw light on these points.
P.S.--I will add another remark which I remember occurred to me when I
first read M. Wagner. When a species first arrives on a small island, it
will probably increase rapidly, and unless all the individuals change
instantaneously (which is improbable in the highest degree), the slowly,
more or less, modifying offspring must intercross one with another, and
with their unmodified parents, and any offspring not as yet modified. The
case will then be like that of domesticated animals which have slowly
become modified, either by the action of the external conditions or by the
process which I have called the UNCONSCIOUS SELECTION by man--i.e., in
contrast with methodical selection.
[The letters continue the history of the year 1872, which has been
interrupted by a digression on Isolation.]
CHARLES DARWIN TO THE MARQUIS DE SAPORTA.
Down, April 8, 1872.
Dear Sir,
I thank you very sincerely and feel much honoured by the trouble which you
have taken in giving me your reflections on the origin of Man. It
gratifies me extremely that some parts of my work have interested you, and
that we agree on the main conclusion of the derivation of man from some
lower form.
I will reflect on what you have said, but I cannot at present give up my
belief in the close relationship of Man to the higher Simiae. I do not put
much trust in any single character, even that of dentition; but I put the
greatest faith in resemblances in many parts of the whole organisation, for
I cannot believe that such resemblances can be due to any cause except
close blood relationship. That man is closely allied to the higher Simiae
is shown by the classification of Linnaeus, who was so good a judge of
affinity. The man who in England knows most about the structure of the
Simiae, namely, Mr. Mivart, and who is bitterly opposed to my doctrines
about the derivation of the mental powers, yet has publicly admitted that I
have not put man too close to the higher Simiae, as far as bodily structure
is concerned. I do not think the absence of reversions of structure in man
is of much weight; C. Vogt, indeed, argues that [the existence of] Micro-
cephalous idiots is a case of reversion. No one who believes in Evolution
will doubt that the Phocae are descended from some terrestrial Carnivore.
Yet no one would expect to meet with any such reversion in them. The
lesser divergence of character in the races of man in comparison with the
species of Simiadae may perhaps be accounted for by man having spread over
the world at a much later period than did the Simiadae. I am fully
prepared to admit the high antiquity of man; but then we have evidence, in
the Dryopithecus, of the high antiquity of the Anthropomorphous Simiae.
I am glad to hear that you are at work on your fossil plants, which of late
years have afforded so rich a field for discovery. With my best thanks for
your great kindness, and with much respect, I remain,
Dear Sir, yours very faithfully,
CHARLES DARWIN.
[In April, 1872, he was elected to the Royal Society of Holland, and wrote
to Professor Donders:--
"Very many thanks for your letter. The honour of being elected a foreign
member of your Royal Society has pleased me much. The sympathy of his
fellow workers has always appeared to me by far the highest reward to which
any scientific man can look. My gratification has been not a little
increased by first hearing of the honour from you."]
CHARLES DARWIN TO CHAUNCEY WRIGHT.
Down, June 3, 1872.
My dear Sir,
Many thanks for your article (The proof-sheets of an article which appeared
in the July number of the 'North American Review.' It was a rejoinder to
Mr. Mivart's reply ('North American Review,' April 1872) to Mr. Chauncey
Wright's pamphlet. Chauncey Wright says of it ('Letters,' page 238):--"It
is not properly a rejoinder but a new article, repeating and expounding
some of the points of my pamphlet, and answering some of Mr. Mivart's
replies incidentally.") in the 'North American Review,' which I have read
with great interest. Nothing can be clearer than the way in which you
discuss the permanence or fixity of species. It never occurred to me to
suppose that any one looked at the case as it seems Mr. Mivart does. Had I
read his answer to you, perhaps I should have perceived this; but I have
resolved to waste no more time in reading reviews of my works or on
Evolution, excepting when I hear that they are good and contain new
matter...It is pretty clear that Mr. Mivart has come to the end of his
tether on this subject.
As your mind is so clear, and as you consider so carefully the meaning of
words, I wish you would take some incidental occasion to consider when a
thing may properly be said to be effected by the will of man. I have been
led to the wish by reading an article by your Professor Whitney versus
Schleicher. He argues, because each step of change in language is made by
the will of man, the whole language so changes; but I do not think that
this is so, as man has no intention or wish to change the language. It is
a parallel case with what I have called "unconscious selection," which
depends on men consciously preserving the best individuals, and thus
unconsciously altering the breed.
My dear Sir, yours sincerely,
CHARLES DARWIN.
[Not long afterwards (September) Mr. Chauncey Wright paid a visit to Down
(Mr. and Mrs. C.L. Brace, who had given much of their lives to
philanthropic work in New York, also paid a visit at Down in this summer.
Some of their work is recorded in Mr. Brace's 'The Dangerous Classes of New
York,' and of this book my father wrote to the author:--
"Since you were here my wife has read aloud to me more than half of your
work, and it has interested us both in the highest degree, and we shall
read every word of the remainder. The facts seem to me very well told, and
the inferences very striking. But after all this is but a weak part of the
impression left on our minds by what we have read; for we are both filled
with earnest admiration at the heroic labours of yourself and others."),
which he described in a letter ('Letters, page 246-248.) to Miss S.
Sedgwick (now Mrs. William Darwin): "If you can imagine me enthusiastic--
absolutely and unqualifiedly so, without a BUT or criticism, then think of
my last evening's and this morning's talks with Mr. Darwin...I was never so
worked up in my life, and did not sleep many hours under the hospitable
roof...It would be quite impossible to give by way of report any idea of
these talks before and at and after dinner, at breakfast, and at leave-
taking; and yet I dislike the egotism of 'testifying' like other religious
enthusiasts, without any verification, or hint of similar experience."]
CHARLES DARWIN TO HERBERT SPENCER.
Bassett, Southampton, June 10, [1872].
Dear Spencer,
I dare say you will think me a foolish fellow, but I cannot resist the wish
to express my unbounded admiration of your article ('Mr. Martineau on
Evolution,' by Herbert Spencer, 'Contemporary Review,' July 1872.) in
answer to Mr. Martineau. It is, indeed, admirable, and hardly less so your
second article on Sociology (which, however, I have not yet finished): I
never believed in the reigning influence of great men on the world's
progress; but if asked why I did not believe, I should have been sorely
perplexed to have given a good answer. Every one with eyes to see and ears
to hear (the number, I fear, are not many) ought to bow their knee to you,
and I for one do.
Believe me, yours most sincerely,
C. DARWIN.
CHARLES DARWIN TO J.D. HOOKER.
Down, July 12 [1872].
My dear Hooker,
I must exhale and express my joy at the way in which the newspapers have
taken up your case. I have seen the "Times", the "Daily News", and the
"Pall Mall", and hear that others have taken up the case.
The Memorial has done great good this way, whatever may be the result in
the action of our wretched Government. On my soul, it is enough to make
one turn into an old honest Tory...
If you answer this, I shall be sorry that I have relieved my feelings by
writing.
Yours affectionately,
C. DARWIN.
[The memorial here referred to was addressed to Mr. Gladstone, and was
signed by a number of distinguished men, including Sir Charles Lyell, Mr.
Bentham, Mr. Huxley, and Sir James Paget. It gives a complete account of
the arbitrary and unjust treatment received by Sir J.D. Hooker at the hands
of his official chief, the First Commissioner of Works. The document is
published in full in 'Nature' (July 11, 1872), and is well worth studying
as an example of the treatment which it is possible for science to receive
from officialism. As 'Nature' observes, it is a paper which must be read
with the greatest indignation by scientific men in every part of the world,
and with shame by all Englishmen. The signatories of the memorial conclude
by protesting against the expected consequences of Sir Joseph Hooker's
persecution--namely his resignation, and the loss of "a man honoured for
his integrity, beloved for his courtesy and kindliness of heart; and who
has spent in the public service not only a stainless but an illustrious
life."
Happily this misfortune was averted, and Sir Joseph was freed from further
molestation.]
CHARLES DARWIN TO A.R. WALLACE.
Down, August 3 [1872].
My dear Wallace,
I hate controversy, chiefly perhaps because I do it badly; but as Dr. Bree
accuses you (Mr. Wallace had reviewed Dr. Bree's book, 'An Exposition of
Fallacies in the Hypothesis of Mr. Darwin,' in 'Nature,' July 25, 1872.) of
"blundering," I have thought myself bound to send the enclosed letter (The
letter is as follows:--"Bree on Darwinism." 'Nature,' August 8, 1872.
Permit me to state--though the statement is almost superfluous--that Mr.
Wallace, in his review of Dr. Bree's work, gives with perfect correctness
what I intended to express, and what I believe was expressed clearly, with
respect to the probable position of man in the early part of his pedigree.
As I have not seen Dr. Bree's recent work, and as his letter is
unintelligible to me, I cannot even conjecture how he has so completely
mistaken my meaning: but, perhaps, no one who has read Mr. Wallace's
article, or who has read a work formerly published by Dr. Bree on the same
subject as his recent one, will be surprised at any amount of
misunderstanding on his part.--Charles Darwin. August 3.) to 'Nature,'
that is if you in the least desire it. In this case please post it. If
you do not AT ALL wish it, I should rather prefer not sending it, and in
this case please to tear it up. And I beg you to do the same, if you
intend answering Dr. Bree yourself, as you will do it incomparably better
than I should. Also please tear it up if you don't like the letter.
My dear Wallace, yours very sincerely,
CH. DARWIN.
CHARLES DARWIN TO A.R. WALLACE.
Down, August 28, 1872.
My dear Wallace,
I have at last finished the gigantic job of reading Dr. Bastian's book
('The Beginnings of Life.' H.C. Bastian, 1872.) and have been deeply
interested by it. You wished to hear my impression, but it is not worth
sending.
He seems to me an extremely able man, as, indeed, I thought when I read his
first essay. His general argument in favour of Archebiosis (That is to
say, Spontaneous Generation. For the distinction between Archebiosis and
Heterogenesis, see Bastian, chapter vi.) is wonderfully strong, though I
cannot think much of some few of his arguments. The result is that I am
bewildered and astonished by his statements, but am not convinced, though,
on the whole, it seems to me probable that Archebiosis is true. I am not
convinced, partly I think owing to the deductive cast of much of his
reasoning; and I know not why, but I never feel convinced by deduction,
even in the case of H. Spencer's writings. If Dr. Bastian's book had been
turned upside down, and he had begun with the various cases of
Heterogenesis, and then gone on to organic, and afterwards to saline
solutions, and had then given his general arguments, I should have been, I
believe, much more influenced. I suspect, however, that my chief
difficulty is the effect of old convictions being stereotyped on my brain.
I must have more evidence that germs, or the minutest fragments of the
lowest forms, are always killed by 212 degrees of Fahr. Perhaps the mere
reiteration of the statements given by Dr. Bastian [by] other men, whose
judgment I respect, and who have worked long on the lower organisms, would
suffice to convince me. Here is a fine confession of intellectual
weakness; but what an inexplicable frame of mind is that of belief!
As for Rotifers and Tardigrades being spontaneously generated, my mind can
no more digest such statements, whether true or false, than my stomach can
digest a lump of lead. Dr. Bastian is always comparing Archebiosis, as
well as growth, to crystallisation; but, on this view, a Rotifer or
Tardigrade is adapted to its humble conditions of life by a happy accident,
and this I cannot believe...He must have worked with very impure materials
in some cases, as plenty of organisms appeared in a saline solution not
containing an atom of nitrogen.
I wholly disagree with Dr. Bastian about many points in his latter
chapters. Thus the frequency of generalised forms in the older strata
seems to me clearly to indicate the common descent with divergence of more
recent forms. Notwithstanding all his sneers, I do not strike my colours
as yet about Pangenesis. I should like to live to see Archebiosis proved
true, for it would be a discovery of transcendent importance; or, if false,
I should like to see it disproved, and the facts otherwise explained; but I
shall not live to see all this. If ever proved, Dr. Bastian will have
taken a prominent part in the work. How grand is the onward rush of
science; it is enough to console us for the many errors which we have
committed, and for our efforts being overlaid and forgotten in the mass of
new facts and new views which are daily turning up.
This is all I have to say about Dr. Bastian's book, and it certainly has
not been worth saying...
CHARLES DARWIN TO A. DE CANDOLLE.
Down, December 11, 1872.
My dear Sir,
I began reading your new book ('Histoire des Sciences et des Savants.'
1873.) sooner than I intended, and when I once began, I could not stop; and
now you must allow me to thank you for the very great pleasure which it has
given me. I have hardly ever read anything more original and interesting
than your treatment of the causes which favour the development of
scientific men. The whole was quite new to me, and most curious. When I
began your essay I was afraid that you were going to attack the principle
of inheritance in relation to mind, but I soon found myself fully content
to follow you and accept your limitations. I have felt, of course, special
interest in the latter part of your work, but there was here less novelty
to me. In many parts you do me much honour, and everywhere more than
justice. Authors generally like to hear what points most strike different
readers, so I will mention that of your shorter essays, that on the future
prevalence of languages, and on vaccination interested me the most, as,
indeed, did that on statistics, and free will. Great liability to certain
diseases, being probably liable to atavism, is quite a new idea to me. At
page 322 you suggest that a young swallow ought to be separated, and then
let loose in order to test the power of instinct; but nature annually
performs this experiment, as old cuckoos migrate in England some weeks
before the young birds of the same year. By the way, I have just used the
forbidden word "nature," which, after reading your essay, I almost
determined never to use again. There are very few remarks in your book to
which I demur, but when you back up Asa Gray in saying that all instincts
are congenital habits, I must protest.
Finally, will you permit me to ask you a question: have you yourself, or
some one who can be quite trusted, observed (page 322) that the butterflies
on the Alps are tamer than those on the lowlands? Do they belong to the
same species? Has this fact been observed with more than one species? Are
they brightly coloured kinds? I am especially curious about their
alighting on the brightly coloured parts of ladies' dresses, more
especially because I have been more than once assured that butterflies like
bright colours, for instance, in India the scarlet leaves of Poinsettia.
Once again allow me to thank you for having sent me your work, and for the
very unusual amount of pleasure which I have received in reading it.
With much respect, I remain, my dear Sir,
Yours very sincerely,
CHARLES DARWIN.
[The last revise of the 'Expression of the Emotions' was finished on August
22nd, 1872, and he wrote in his Diary:--"Has taken me about twelve months."
As usual he had no belief in the possibility of the book being generally
successful. The following passage in a letter to Haeckel gives the
impression that he had felt the writing of this book as a somewhat severe
strain:--
"I have finished my little book on 'Expression,' and when it is published
in November I will of course send you a copy, in case you would like to
read it for amusement. I have resumed some old botanical work, and perhaps
I shall never again attempt to discuss theoretical views.
"I am growing old and weak, and no man can tell when his intellectual
powers begin to fail. Long life and happiness to you for your own sake and
for that of science."
It was published in the autumn. The edition consisted of 7000, and of
these 5267 copies were sold at Mr. Murray's sale in November. Two thousand
were printed at the end of the year, and this proved a misfortune, as they
did not afterwards sell so rapidly, and thus a mass of notes collected by
the author was never employed for a second edition during his lifetime.
Among the reviews of the 'Expression of the Emotions' may be mentioned the
unfavourable notices in the "Athenaeum", November 9, 1872, and the "Times",
December 13, 1872. A good review by Mr. Wallace appeared in the 'Quarterly
Journal of Science,' January 1873. Mr. Wallace truly remarks that the book
exhibits certain "characteristics of the author's mind in an eminent
degree," namely, "the insatiable longing to discover the causes of the
varied and complex phenomena presented by living things." He adds that in
the case of the author "the restless curiosity of the child to know the
'what for?' the 'why?' and the 'how?' of everything" seems "never to have
abated its force."
A writer in one of the theological reviews describes the book as the most
"powerful and insidious" of all the author's works.
Professor Alexander Bain criticised the book in a postscript to the 'Senses
and the Intellect;' to this essay the following letter refers:]
CHARLES DARWIN TO ALEXANDER BAIN.
Down, October 9, 1873.
My dear Sir,
I am particularly obliged to you for having send me your essay. Your
criticisms are all written in a quite fair spirit, and indeed no one who
knows you or your works would expect anything else. What you say about the
vagueness of what I have called the direct action of the nervous system, is
perfectly just. I felt it so at the time, and even more of late. I
confess that I have never been able fully to grasp your principle of
spontaneity, as well as some other of your points, so as to apply them to
special cases. But as we look at everything from different points of view,
it is not likely that we should agree closely. (Professor Bain expounded
his theory of Spontaneity in the essay here alluded to. It would be
impossible to do justice to it within the limits of a foot-note. The
following quotations may give some notion of it:--
"By Spontaneity I understand the readiness to pass into movement in the
absence of all stimulation whatever; the essential requisite being that the
nerve-centres and muscles shall be fresh and vigorous...The gesticulations
and the carols of young and active animals are mere overflow of nervous
energy; and although they are very apt to concur with pleasing emotion,
they have an independent source...They are not properly movements of
expression; they express nothing at all except an abundant stock of
physical power.")
I have been greatly pleased by what you say about the crying expression and
about blushing. Did you read a review in a late 'Edinburgh?' (The review
on the 'Expression of the Emotions' appeared in the April number of the
'Edinburgh Review,' 1873. The opening sentence is a fair sample of the
general tone of the article: "Mr. Darwin has added another volume of
amusing stories and grotesque illustrations to the remarkable series of
works already devoted to the exposition and defence of the evolutionary
hypothesis." A few other quotations may be worth giving. "His one-sided
devotion to an a priori scheme of interpretation seems thus steadily
tending to impair the author's hitherto unrivalled powers as an observer.
However this may be, most impartial critics will, we think, admit that
there is a marked falling off both in philosophical tone and scientific
interest in the works produced since Mr. Darwin committed himself to the
crude metaphysical conception so largely associated with his name." The
article is directed against Evolution as a whole, almost as much as against
the doctrines of the book under discussion. We find throughout plenty of
that effective style of criticism which consists in the use of such
expressions as "dogmatism," "intolerance," "presumptuous," "arrogant."
Together with accusations of such various faults a "virtual abandonment of
the inductive method," and the use of slang and vulgarisms.
The part of the article which seems to have interested my father is the
discussion on the use which he ought to have made of painting and
sculpture.) It was magnificently contemptuous towards myself and many
others.
I retain a very pleasant recollection of our sojourn together at that
delightful place, Moor Park.
With my renewed thanks, I remain, my dear Sir,
Yours sincerely,
CH. DARWIN.
CHARLES DARWIN TO MRS. HALIBURTON. (Mrs. Haliburton was a daughter of my
father's old friend, Mr. Owen of Woodhouse. Her husband, Judge Haliburton,
was the well-known author of 'Sam Slick.')
Down, November 1 [1872].
My dear Mrs. Haliburton,
I dare say you will be surprised to hear from me. My object in writing now
is to say that I have just published a book on the 'Expression of the
Emotions in Man and Animals;' and it has occurred to me that you might
possibly like to read some parts of it; and I can hardly think that this
would have been the case with any of the books which I have already
published. So I send by this post my present book. Although I have had no
communication with you or the other members of your family for so long a
time, no scenes in my whole life pass so frequently or so vividly before my
mind as those which relate to happy old days spent at Woodhouse. I should
very much like to hear a little news about yourself and the other members
of your family, if you will take the trouble to write to me. Formerly I
used to glean some news about you from my sisters.
I have had many years of bad health and have not been able to visit
anywhere; and now I feel very old. As long as I pass a perfectly uniform
life, I am able to do some daily work in Natural History, which is still my
passion, as it was in old days, when you used to laugh at me for collecting
beetles with such zeal at Woodhouse. Excepting from my continued ill-
health, which has excluded me from society, my life has been a very happy
one; the greatest drawback being that several of my children have inherited
from me feeble health. I hope with all my heart that you retain, at least
to a large extent, the famous "Owen constitution." With sincere feelings
of gratitude and affection for all bearing the name of Owen, I venture to
sign myself,
Yours affectionately,
CHARLES DARWIN.
CHARLES DARWIN TO MRS. HALIBURTON.
Down, November 6 [1872].
My dear Sarah,
I have been very much pleased by your letter, which I must call charming.
I hardly ventured to think that you would have retained a friendly
recollection of me for so many years. Yet I ought to have felt assured
that you would remain as warm-hearted and as true-hearted as you have ever
been from my earliest recollection. I know well how many grievous sorrows
you have gone through; but I am very sorry to hear that your health is not
good. In the spring or summer, when the weather is better, if you can
summon up courage to pay us a visit here, both my wife, as she desires me
to say, and myself, would be truly glad to see you, and I know that you
would not care about being rather dull here. It would be a real pleasure
to me to see you.--Thank you much for telling about your family,--much of
which was new to me. How kind you all were to me as a boy, and you
especially, and how much happiness I owe to you. Believe me your
affectionate and obliged friend,
CHARLES DARWIN.
P.S.--Perhaps you would like to see a photograph of me now that I am old.
1873.
[The only work (other than botanical) of this year was the preparation of a
second edition of the 'Descent of Man,' the publication of which is
referred to in the following chapter. This work was undertaken much
against the grain, as he was at the time deeply immersed in the manuscript
of 'Insectivorous Plants.' Thus he wrote to Mr. Wallace (November 19), "I
never in my lifetime regretted an interruption so much as this new edition
of the 'Descent.'" And later (in December) he wrote to Mr. Huxley: "The
new edition of the 'Descent' has turned out an awful job. It took me ten
days merely to glance over letters and reviews with criticisms and new
facts. It is a devil of a job."
The work was continued until April 1, 1874, when he was able to return to
his much loved Drosera. He wrote to Mr. Murray:--
"I have at last finished, after above three months as hard work as I have
ever had in my life, a corrected edition of the 'Descent,' and I much wish
to have it printed off as soon as possible. As it is to be stereotyped I
shall never touch it again."
The first of the miscellaneous letters of 1873 refers to a pleasant visit
received from Colonel Higginson of Newport, U.S.]
CHARLES DARWIN TO THOS. WENTWORTH HIGGINSON.
Down, February 27th [1873].
My dear Sir,
My wife has just finished reading aloud your 'Life with a Black Regiment,'
and you must allow me to thank you heartily for the very great pleasure
which it has in many ways given us. I always thought well of the negroes,
from the little which I have seen of them; and I have been delighted to
have my vague impressions confirmed, and their character and mental powers
so ably discussed. When you were here I did not know of the noble position
which you had filled. I had formerly read about the black regiments, but
failed to connect your name with your admirable undertaking. Although we
enjoyed greatly your visit to Down, my wife and myself have over and over
again regretted that we did not know about the black regiment, as we should
have greatly liked to have heard a little about the South from your own
lips.
Your descriptions have vividly recalled walks taken forty years ago in
Brazil. We have your collected Essays, which were kindly sent us by Mr.
[Moncure] Conway, but have not yet had time to read them. I occasionally
glean a little news of you in the 'Index'; and within the last hour have
read an interesting article of yours on the progress of Free Thought.
Believe me, my dear sir, with sincere admiration,
Yours very faithfully,
CH. DARWIN.
[On May 28th he sent the following answers to the questions that Mr. Galton
was at that time addressing to various scientific men, in the course of the
inquiry which is given in his 'English Men of Science, their Nature and
Nurture,' 1874. With regard to the questions my father wrote, "I have
filled up the answers as well as I could, but it is simply impossible for
me to estimate the degrees." For the sake of convenience, the questions
and answers relating to "Nurture" are made to precede those on "Nature":
NURTURE.
EDUCATION?
How taught? I consider that all I have learnt of any value has been self-
taught.
Conducive to or restrictive of habits of observation? Restrictive of
observation, being almost entirely classical.
Conducive to health or otherwise? Yes.
Peculiar merits? None whatever.
Chief omissions? No mathematics or modern languages, nor any habits of
observation or reasoning.
RELIGION.
Has the religious creed taught in your youth had any deterrent effect on
the freedom of your researches? No.
SCIENTIFIC TASTES.
Do your scientific tastes appear to have been innate? Certainly innate.
Were they determined by any and what events? My innate taste for natural
history strongly confirmed and directed by the voyage in the "Beagle".
NATURE.
Specify any interests that have been very actively pursued. Science, and
field sports to a passionate degree during youth.
(C.D. = CHARLES DARWIN, R.D. = ROBERT DARWIN, his father.)
RELIGION?
C.D.--Nominally to Church of England.
R.D.--Nominally to Church of England.
POLITICS?
C.D.--Liberal or Radical.
R.D.--Liberal.
HEALTH?
C.D.--Good when young--bad for last 33 years.
R.D.--Good throughout life, except from gout.
HEIGHT, ETC?
C.D.--6ft. Figure, etc.?--Spare, whilst young rather stout. Measurement
round inside of hat?--22 1/4 in. Colour of Hair?--Brown. Complexion?--
Rather sallow.
R.D.--6ft. 2 in. Figure, etc?--Very broad and corpulent. Colour of hair?
--Brown. Complexion?--Ruddy.
TEMPERAMENT?
C.D.--Somewhat nervous.
R.D.--Sanguine.
ENERGY OF BODY, ETC.?
C.D.--Energy shown by much activity, and whilst I had health, power of
resisting fatigue. I and one other man were alone able to fetch water for
a large party of officers and sailors utterly prostrated. Some of my
expeditions in S. America were adventurous. An early riser in the morning.
R.D.--Great power of endurance although feeling much fatigue, as after
consultations after long journeys ; very active--not restless--very early
riser, no travels. My father said his father suffered much from sense of
fatigue, that he worked very hard.
ENERGY OF MIND, ETC.?
C.D.--Shown by rigorous and long-continued work on same subject, as 20
years on the 'Origin of Species,' and 9 years on 'Cirripedia.'
R.D.--Habitually very active mind--shown in conversation with a succession
of people during the whole day.
MEMORY?
C.D.--Memory very bad for dates, and for learning by rote; but good in
retaining a general or vague recollection of many facts.
R.D.--Wonderful memory for dates. In old age he told a person, reading
aloud to him a book only read in youth, the passages which were coming--
knew the birthdays and death, etc., of all friends and acquaintances.
STUDIOUSNESS?
C.D.--Very studious, but not large acquirements.
R.D.--Not very studious or mentally receptive, except for facts in
conversation--great collector of anecdotes.
INDEPENDENCE OF JUDGMENT?
C.D.--I think fairly independent; but I can give no instances. I gave up
common religious belief almost independently from my own reflections.
R.D.--Free thinker in religious matters. Liberal, with rather a tendency
to Toryism.
ORIGINALITY OR ECCENTRICITY?
C.D.-- -- Thinks this applies to me; I do not think so--i.e., as far as
eccentricity. I suppose that I have shown originality in science, as I
have made discoveries with regard to common objects.
R.D.--Original character, had great personal influence and power of
producing fear of himself in others. He kept his accounts with great care
in a peculiar way, in a number of separate little books, without any
general ledger.
SPECIAL TALENTS?
C.D.--None, except for business as evinced by keeping accounts, replies to
correspondence, and investing money very well. Very methodical in all my
habits.
R.D.--Practical business--made a large fortune and incurred no losses.
STRONGLY MARKED MENTAL PECULIARITIES, BEARING ON SCIENTIFIC SUCCESS, AND
NOT SPECIFIED ABOVE?
C.D.--Steadiness--great curiosity about facts and their meaning. Some love
of the new and marvellous.
R.D.--Strong social affection and great sympathy in the pleasures of
others. Sceptical as to new things. Curious as to facts. Great
foresight. Not much public spirit--great generosity in giving money and
assistance.
N.B.--I find it quite impossible to estimate my character by your degrees.
The following letter refers inter alia to a letter which appeared in
'Nature' (September 25, 1873), "On the Males and Complemental Males of
certain Cirripedes, and on Rudimentary Organs:"]
CHARLES DARWIN TO E. HAECKEL.
Down, September 25, 1873.
My dear Haeckel,
I thank you for the present of your book ('Schopfungs-geschichte,' 4th
edition. The translation ('The History of Creation') was not published
until 1876.), and I am heartily glad to see its great success. You will do
a wonderful amount of good in spreading the doctrine of Evolution,
supporting it as you do by so many original observations. I have read the
new preface with very great interest. The delay in the appearance of the
English translation vexes and surprises me, for I have never been able to
read it thoroughly in German, and I shall assuredly do so when it appears
in English. Has the problem of the later stages of reduction of useless
structures ever perplexed you? This problem has of late caused me much
perplexity. I have just written a letter to 'Nature' with a hypothetical
explanation of this difficulty, and I will send you the paper with the
passage marked. I will at the same time send a paper which has interested
me; it need not be returned. It contains a singular statement bearing on
so-called Spontaneous Generation. I much wish that this latter question
could be settled, but I see no prospect of it. If it could be proved true
this would be most important to us...
Wishing you every success in your admirable labours,
I remain, my dear Haeckel, yours very sincerely,
CHARLES DARWIN.
