September 19, 2008

As Darwin watches the preparation of the H.M.S. Beagle, he gets (understandably) excited.

It also turns out that Captain FitzRoy was popular with the ladies. Darwin fears that he will get seasick on the voyage; it happens to everyone. Little did he know how bad it would be, and that raisins were all he could eat for weeks.

In the second paragraph, Darwin writes of his admiration for “a Mr. Harris.” William Snow Harris was known as “Thunder and Lightning Harris” for his work making electrical conductors for ship masts. These conductors ran down the mast and discharged lightning through the hull of the ship. He was eventually knighted in 1847 for this, but the Russians adopted it way before the Brits. in 1845, he got some special gifts from the Tsar for his work.

Thunder and Lightning Harris, huh? What an appropriate name to feature on Talk Like a Pirate Day.

12 November, 1831

My dear Caroline,

The tutor’s bill is just as I expected—and I will contrive some plan through Henslow.—Most unfortunately Henslow has just lost his brother, so I do not like at present to trouble him.—

Everything here is most prosperous; the Beagle now looks something like a ship— They have just painted her and in a weeks time the men will live on board.— No Vessel has ever been fitted at all on so expensive a scale from Plymouth— I get into a fine naval fervour whenever I look at her. I suppose she is as good a ship as art can make her—and if I believe all I hear the Captain is as perfect as nature can make him— It is ridiculous to see how popular he is, ladies can hardly splutter out big enough words to express their big feelings—

I have been going out rather more lately than I wish. I dined yesterday at the Admirals Sir Dixon with Captain FitzRoy—where I met nobody but naval officers, the conversation would have been stupid to a landsman,— but to me it was very interesting. I breakfasted yesterday with a Mr. Harris whom I like more than anybody I have seen.— He has written a great deal on Electricity— This morning I did ditto with Col. H. Smith a very clever old Gentleman.— Tomorrow I am going to Lord Morleys, and am going to ride over with Lord Borrington to see the granite on Dartmoor.— So that I am quite gay & like the place very much.— I suspect from all I hear the sea-sickness is very much worse than I expected— More than half the naval officers feel uncomfortable at first starting.— I am sure, as soon as sea-sickness is over I shall soon fall into sea habits & like them.— I think I get accustomed to anything soon, and that will be half the battle won.— It is very lucky we did not sail earlier, for if we had started 6 weeks ago, I believe we should not, owing to S. W. Gale, have reached Madeira by this time.—

Tell Susan she need not be alarmed about my forgetting to give directions about writing. I presume Rio Janeiro will be principal place for some time.— I get letters for nothing— I fancy S. America will not detain us more than 18 months— What then nobody seems to know— It is certain that a new continent has been discovered somewhere far South. Perhaps we may be sent in search.— I suppose you have received a letter from me since Susan’s date.

Love to my Father & all others. C. Darwin.

Daddy! I wanna go on the boat!

The fateful decision is made September 1: Charles Darwin will indeed sail on the Beagle.

Here’s some back-and-forth between Charles, his father, and Francis Beaufort, British Royal Navy Captain and hydrographer. Beaufort approved Darwin for the voyage, and his Wikipedia entry alone is testament to how interesting a figure he is.

Darwin writes his dad Robert Waring Darwin, begging (this is not the first time he’s pressed the issue) to be allowed to go. He’s right out of Cambridge, by the way.

He’s got his uncle’s responses to Dad’s concerns enclosed in the letter. This uncle, Josiah Wedgwood, would later be his father-in-law.

To Robert Waring Darwin, 31 August [1831]

[Maer]
August 31

My dear Father
I am afraid I am going to make you again very uncomfortable.— But upon consideration, I think you will excuse me once again stating my opinions on the offer of the Voyage.— My excuse & reason is, is the different way all the Wedgwoods view the subject from what you & my sisters do.—

I have given Uncle Jos, what I fervently trust is an accurate & full list of your objections, & he is kind enough to give his opinion on all.— The list & his answers will be enclosed.—But may I beg of you one favor. it will be doing me the greatest kindness, if you will send me a decided answer, yes or no.— If the latter, I should be most ungrateful if I did not implicitly yield to your better judgement & to the kindest indulgence which you have shown me all through my life.— …

After the jump: the reasons that Daddy Darwin was reluctant to allow Charles to go.

Robert Waring’s Objections

(1) Disreputable to my character as a Clergyman hereafter
(2) A wild scheme
(3) That they must have offered to many others before me, the place of
Naturalist
(4) And from its not being accepted there must be some serious objection
to the vessel or expedition
(5) That I should never settle down to a steady life hereafter
(6) That my accomodations would be most uncomfortable
(7). That you should consider it as again changing my profession
(8) That it would be a useless undertaking

Getting Dad’s approval, he writes to Beaufort right away.

To Francis Beaufort 1 September [1831]

Shrewsbury
September the 1st.

Sir
I take the liberty of writing to you according to Mr. Peacocks desire to acquaint you with my acceptance of the offer of going with Capt Fitzroy. Perhaps you may have received a letter from Mr. Peacock, stating my refusal; this was owing to my Father not at first approving of the plan, since which time he has reconsidered the subject: & has given his consent & therefore if the appointment is not already filled up,—I shall be very happy to have the honor of accepting it.— There has been some delay owing to my being in Wales, when the letter arrived.— I set out for Cambridge tomorrow morning, to see Professor Henslow: & from thence will proceed immediately to London.—

I remain Sir | Your humble & obedient servant | Chas. Darwin

“Immediately to London” indeed. Charles jumped on this one. So quickly, in fact, he didn’t really tell his girlfriend when he was leaving. She was peeved.

Beaufort writes Capitain FitzRoy in charming Victorian prose.

Sep 1st.

My dear Sir
I believe my friend Mr Peacock of Triny College Cambe has succeeded in getting a “Savant” for you— A Mr Darwin grandson of the well known philosopher and poet—full of zeal and enterprize and having contemplated a voyage on his own account to S. America

Let me know how you like the idea that I may go or recede in time | F B

It all happened 177 years ago this weekend. Raise a toast to the Beagle this weekend at your barbecue.

And lots of dead animals sent by post.

Darwin was very inquisitive. He had to be. But this letter has a wonderful quality to it. He’s about to go collecting pigs’ jaws to count teeth. After all, that crafty Bechstein just can’t be trusted.

Do birds wash their feet? Send out the servants!

Plus, his buddies are mailing cat carcasses around. Wouldn’t quite fly with the postal service today!

All that aside, Darwin is working on plant vectors; seeing if owl pellets (remember the mouse skeletons?) contain seeds, and whether they get coughed up mid-flight.

The letter continues after the jump.

To: T. C. Eyton 31 August, 1856

Down Bromley Kent

Aug 31st

Dear Eyton

I thank you heartily for your note & for your promise of more information on Pigs, about which I am very curious.— By the way Bechstein asserts that the number of incisors varies greatly in domestic pigs: I am myself going to collect Pigs jaws (no other part) to see whether he is to be trusted. Have you ever noticed this? I sh^d like to confirm Bechstein on your authority.

I had no idea that your Stud Book was so well illustrated; I suppose you mean me to return the Plates, so I do. But I have been very glad to see them. Just after writing to you, I found what my memory told me of: viz an article by some apparently well informed person in Quarterly Review (1849 p. 392) who says there is a split of unknown origin in this breed,—one strain having white face tawny sides & upward directed horns; the other a speckled face, generally white line down back, shorter legs & more horizontal horns. In my Book on Variation which is progressing (but Heaven knows what it will turn out) I sh^d. like to give this case trifling as it is; for it is so rare to trace commencement of even a sub-breed of a sub-breed; & I sh^d. like to quote your remarks in your note, & will append Author of the “Stud Book on Herefordshire Cattle” Is this correct title? If you can give me any other information about these two families of Herefordshire I sh^d. be very grateful: I suppose you do not believe about short-legs; but just bear this point in mind.—

What a wonderful collection of Birds you have! I had not the least idea of your richness.

I remember well your case of the geese & shall have to quote it. What became of the grandchildren geese? did you continue to breed from them? I have lately been making enquiries in India, where there are flocks of the half-bred-geese habitually kept.—

One of the subjects which gives me most trouble for my work, is means of distribution in the case of species found on distant islands; I have lately been trying the powers of resistance of seeds to sea-water,—their powers of floating—the number of living seeds in earth & mud &c &c.— Would you render me a little assistance in this line? My walking days are over, never to return. I want to know whether on a wet muddy day, whether birds feet are dirty: I am going to send my servant out with some keeper & he shall wash all the partridges feet & save the dirty water!!

But I want especially to know whether herons or any waders (we have no ponds hereabouts) or water-birds when suddenly sprung have ever dirty feet or beaks? I found in 2 large table-spoon full of mud from a little pond from beneath the water 53 plants germinated.—

Do you know when owl or Hawk eats a little bird, how soon it throws up pellet? Can it throw up pellet whilst on wing? How I sh^d. like to get a collection of pellets & see whether they contained any seeds capable of germination. Could your gamekeepers find a roosting place, & collect a lot for me?—

Lastly (if you are not sick of my enquiries) have you ever examined the stomachs of dace & other white fish? Do they ever eat seeds; I know it is good to bait a place with grains. For like the house which Jack built, a heron might eat a fish with seed of water plant & then fly to another pond.

I have been trying for a year with no success to get some dace &c. Have you any & could you catch some in net. & order your kitchen maid to clean them, & you c^d. send me the whole stomach & I would sow the contents on burnt earth with every proper precaution. If ever your goodnature sh^d. lead you to send me any such rubbish; it might be put in bladder or tin foil & sent by Post, & if you will not think me very impertinent I could repay you the shilling or two for postage; as the rubbish w^d. thus come much quicker & cheaper to me.

Do you mean to collect cats’ skeletons: Sir C. Lyell has odd Persian & I have heard of another odd cat & I w^d. request their carcases to be sent to you, if you cared about them. But I fancy cats are much mixed beings.—

Well I have put your words, that you like hearing from old naturalist friends, to a severe test. So forgive me & believe me, | Your’s most truly | Ch. Darwin

Charles had taken a liking to Fanny Owen through his Cambridge years, but as he departed on the Beagle voyage, well…

She dumped him.

Apparently he cared more about his beetle collection than about her. She wished she had given him a pin cushion for his instruments of death. She also refers to his collection as his beetle army. I know this is a long one, but it gets better and better (or bitter?) with the kicker being the last half and final salutation.

Try as I might, I can only read the italicized text as sarcasm. They’re hers, not mine.

From Fanny Owen to Charles Darwin:

2. Northernhay Place, Exeter

Monday

My dear Charles,

I have this evening heard from Caroline that you leave home the end of this week-and that you wish to have a good bye from me before you go. I had not the least idea you were to go so soon, for they told me it was the end of October you sailed, so I hoped and fully expected I should have been at home in time to see you- I cannot tell you how disappointed & vexed I am that that cannot be. Little did I think the last time I saw you at the poor old Forest, that it would be so long before we should meet again!! This horrid Devonshire-fool that I was to come here- I shall just get home when you are gone I dare say- My dear Charles I do hope you will enjoy yourself & be the happiest of the happy, I would give any thing to see you once more before you go, for it does make me melancholy to think the time you are to be away-& Heaven knows what may have become of all of us by this time two years. at all events we must be grown old & steady- the pleasant days, and fun we have had at the Forest can never come over again- how I wish I was there this week to have one last chat with you I cannot bear to think you are really going clear away, without my saying one good bye!!

But I must drop this subject for I find I am getting prosy & melancholy & that wont do- They tell me you were at Plymouth about 10 days ago & so was I, how very very unlucky we never met, do you go there again? if you should perhaps you may pass through Exeter- I shall leave it on the 6th with the Hunts- I believe not come home direct but go with them to pay some visits- if possible I shall shirk and get the Gov- to meet me at Leamington or Birmingham for I think it will be awful flat work, dowagering about with the Hunts to unknown parts- I am sure I have been dull enough all this summer- hope I have expiated allmy sins for a severe Penance I have had of it-I wont be taken alive again in that way when once I get home- Home sweet home you should hear me sing now-I assure you I do it feelingly -it would melt a heart of stone-or rather crack an ear drum of Iron to hear me-but here my powers have no scope I can never give vent to my feelings as I feel inclined-So poor old Williams is gone at last, a happy release for himself I should think-& certainly for every body related to him- a proper time being given up to becoming grief the awful ceremony will of course take place as soon as possible- how very provoking you should not be present-not even taste the long expected Plum Cake how vexed I am you are going it is too selvish of me to say so, for I am sure it will be the very thing to suit you- did you throw yourself on the Governor’s mercy, & confess your creditors, or what have you done? What a capital way of escaping ungentlemanlike Tailors &c- When you are far from the Land they may whistle for their cash for what you care! Well, dont be surprised if you hear I have taken Ship too and fled my duns- that joyful season Xmas is fast approaching- my heart sinks when I think of it-but there’s nothing like putting a good face on it- I shall do so as long as I can- Pray write to me one last Farewell my dear Charles & tell me all your plans & prospects-where you are to go to- & all about it? And tell me too if I shall look out for a nice little Wife for the Parsonage by the time you return.

tell me what you require and I will look about and get one in my eye by the time you want her-a proper knowledge of the Beetle tribe of course you require-bye the bye has your faithless Charlotte Salway bee_n_ twined off yet-I have heard nothing of her As for all your Sisters I think they are gone crazy or sulky or sleepy or something for not one line have I had from any of them these two months-they treat me with the most marked contempt.- I was much amused at Plymouth there is so much worth seeing- Mount Edgecombe I dare say you saw-it is a beautiful Place.- I went on board the Adelaide and all over it-so can fancy you in your little Cabin-and I assure you you will not be forgotten, I shall often long to have you to laugh with and scold out of the Painting room- I wish I had made your Pincushions they might have been useful-and occasionally in taking out an instrument of death for a Beetle you would have called to mind the Manufacturer of the useful article -but it cant be helped now- this letter is most prosy, & duller than letter ever was before-but I cant help it you must take the will for the deed - write to me 2 Northernhay Place= I must now conclude-can only add-I most sincerely wish you every amusement & happiness possible- but only wish most heartily you were not going quite so soon that we might have one more talk & laugh first- but it is not to be- so good bye my dear Charles

Believe me always yours most sincerely and affecty | F O-

Burn this before you sail for pitys sake -

Wait a second, he didn’t even say goodbye to her? Is she accusing him of skipping out on creditors?

Dang. Maybe all that seasickness that followed was some sort of cosmic reckoning.

Charles Darwin, at the age of 12, wrote several letters into a ‘Memorandum book’ while on vacation from school. He was staying at his family home in Shrewsbury, and apparently not bathing much. Ah, the days when washing was a chore!

Please be advised that the spelling mistakes and lack of punctuation are his, not mine.

To Dear Friend, January 4, 1822

My Dear friend,

you must know that after my Geography, she said I should go down to ask for Richards poney, just as I was going, she said she must ask me not a very decent question, that was whether I wash all over every morning no then she said it was quite disgustin then she asked me if I did every other morning, and I said no then she said how often I did, and I said once a week, then she said of cour you wash your feet every day, and I said no, then she begun saying how very disgusting and went on that way a good while, then she said I ought to do it, I said I would wash my neck and shoulders, then she said you had better do it all over then I said upon my word I would not,

then she told me, and made me promise I would not tell, then I said, why I only wash my fett once a month at school, which I confess is nasty, but I cannot help it, for we have nothing to do it with, so then Caroline pretended to be quite sick, and left the room, so then I went and told erasumus, and he bust out in laughing and said I had better tell he to come and wash them her self, besides that she said she did not like sitting by me or Erasmus for we smelt of not washing all over, there we sat arguing away for a good while.

I remain your affectionately

Justice w a nose as big as your fist

January the 2, 1822

The second letter today

That could be my favorite new insult — “You smelt of not washing all over!”

I love how the brothers antagonize sister Caroline about personal hygiene, and invite her to come and wash the grubby little guy. And if someone can explain to me what he means by “nose as big as your fist,” I’ll buy you a beer. Origins adds [burst] after “Justice,” which I assume to be a little star he drew.

Charles Darwin wanted what many academics still strive for: to get published!

It was difficult for other reasons, in his case. Murray, the publisher, might reject a paper that runs “slap counter to Genesis.” Look out, Christendom, here comes Darwin! He mentions this concern in a letter below.

Down Bromley Kent

March 28^th

My dear Lyell

If I keep decently well I hope to be able to go to press with my volume early in May. This being so, I want much to beg a little advice from you.— From an expression in Lady Lyell’s note, I fancy that you have spoken to Murray.^f2 Is it so? and is he willing to publish my Abstract? If you will tell me whether anything & what has passed, I will then write to him: does he know at all subject of Book?

Secondly can you advise me, whether I had better state what terms of publication I sh^d. prefer or first ask him to propose terms. And what, do you think, would be fair terms for an Edition? share profits or what?

Lastly, will you be so very kind as to look at enclosed title & give me your opinion & any criticisms:^f3 you must remember that if I have health & it appears worth doing, I have a much larger & full book on same subject nearly ready.^f4 My abstract will be about 500 pages of size of your first Edition of Elements of Geology.—^f5

Pray forgive me troubling you with above queries; & you shall have no more trouble on subject.

I hope the world goes well with you, & that you are getting on with your various works.^f6

I am working very hard for me, & long to finish & be free & try to recover some health.

My dear Lyell | Ever yours | C. Darwin

Very sincere thanks to you for standing my Proxy for Wollaston Medal.^f7

P.S. | Would you advise me to tell Murray that my Book is not more un-orthodox, than the subject makes inevitable. That I do not discuss origin of man.— That I do not bring in any discussions about Genesis &c, & only give facts, & such conclusions from them, as seem to me fair.—

Or had I better say nothing to Murray, & assume that he cannot object to this much unorthodoxy, which in fact is not more than any Geological Treatise, which runs slap counter to Genesis.—

[Enclosure]

An abstract of an Essay
on the
Origin
of
Species and Varieties
Through Natural Selection
by
Charles Darwin M. A
Fellow of the Royal, Geological & Linn. Soc^y.
————
London
&c &c &c &c
1859
————

In a New York Times Op-Ed Wednesday, Olivia Judson drops the question:

Why haven’t so many biologists read On the Origin of Species?

This week in Darwin’s correspondence: June 18, 1858, 150 years ago — Darwin writes to Charles Lyell from the Isle of Wight, a little island 3 miles from the South coast of England. This letter comes from Cambridge University’s Darwin Correspondence Project.

This was no vacation. On June 18, already ill his eldest daughter, Henrietta, came down with diptheria. Several days later, Charles Waring Darwin, his 18-month old son suffered from scarlet fever, dying a few days after that. The scarlet fever outbreak was sweeping Darwin’s village, and they escaped to the Isle of Wight until it ran its course.

Darwin contemplates writing an abstract of his work so far, but realizes that it’ll take a larger volume. The resulting book, we know as The Origin of Species by Means of Natural Selection: Or, the Preservation of Favored Races in the Struggle for Life.

My dear Lyell

I write merely to thank you for the abstract of the Etna paper.^f1 It seems to me a very grand contribution to our volcanic knowlede. Certainly I never expected to see E. de B. theory of slopes so completely upset.^f2 He must have picked out favourable cases for measurement. And such an array of facts he gives!— You have scotched & will see die, I now think, the Crater of Elevation Theory. But what vitality there is in a plausible theory!

We are established here for ten days & then go on to Shanklin which seems more amusing to one, like myself, who cannot walk— We hope much that the sea may do Etty & Lenny good. And if it does our expedition will answer, but not otherwise.

I have never half thanked you for all the extraordinary trouble & kindness you showed me about Wallace’s affair. Hooker told me what was done at Linn. Soc^y & I am far more than satisifed;^f3 & I do not think that Wallace can think my conduct unfair, in allowing you & Hooker to do whatever you thought fair.

I certainly was a little annoyed to lose all priority, but had resigned myself to my fate. I am going to prepare a longer abstract; but it is really impossible to do justice to the subject, except by giving the facts on which each conclusion is grounded & that will of course be absolutely impossible.

Your name & Hooker’s name appearing as in anyway the least interested in my work, will, I am certain have the most important bearing in leading people to consider the subject without prejudice.— I look at this as so very important that I am almost glad of Wallace’s paper for having led to this.

My dear Lyell | Yours most gratefully | Ch. Darwin

We’ll be doing a Darwin letter every Friday. Why? The Darwin Correspondence Project at Cambridge University has been publishing Darwin’s letters for years in a massive, multi-volume set. As Darwin’s 200th birthday (and the 150th anniversary of Origin) approaches, look for a host of new publications, including collections of letters like Origins (1822-1859), Evolution (1860-1870), and Charles Darwin: The Beagle Letters.