Darwin Letter Friday

Charles on the American Civil War

Darwin writes the great American botanist Asa Gray during a turbulent point in American history.
Darwin’s feelings on slavery were very pronounced; ever since his Beagle voyage saw witness to a great deal of slave brutality.
The Maryland slaves that he refers to were not freed, since the state had not seceded [...]

Darwin Letter Friday

Happy Independence Day! To celebrate, below is a letter written by Darwin on July 4, 1858 to an American: botanist Asa Gray. Gray pretty much started the botany program at Harvard, and was an immense help with developing Darwin’s carefully wrought theory.
Darwin observed peculiarities in Dicentra (Bleeding Heart) flowers that he links to the cross-pollinating [...]