Description:

Charles Darwin 1853 ALS, The Year He Received The Royal Medal

Charles Darwin (1809-1882). Autograph Letter Signed, "Charles Darwin", 2pp, on bifolium stationery measuring 4.875" x 7.75", dated "Jan. 31st" from his home in Down Farnborough, Kent. Docketed at verso. Expected folds and creasing with minor loss at fold intersections. Soiling and moderate discoloration, mostly isolated to right side of first page. In near very good condition with a bold signature by Darwin.

Darwin writes to his financial advisor, Thomas Salt, Esq. of Salt & Sons, regarding his family's home in Shrewsbury: "I am much obliged by your note received yesterday. If it lies in your power, I should be much obliged if you could dispose of the £600 Shrewsbury St. mortgage for me in the course of the next month or two. It consists of two mortgages of £400 & £200, but I should not wish to dispose of either separately. If necessary I would pay the Transfer. I will not forget to enquire, should I meet any likely persons, about the Curacy & House."

Darwin's eight year long study on barnacles had found homologies, or similarites due to shared ancestry between a pair of structures, that supported his theory by showing that slightly changed body parts could serve different functions to meet new conditions. In 1853 it earned him The Royal Medal, "For his work entitled Geological Observations on Coral Reefs, Volcanic Islands, and on South America, and his work, Fossil Circhipeda of Great Britain, Section Lepadidae, Monograph of the Circhipeda", truly establishing his reputation as a biologist. The following year, Darwin turned his attention to his theory of species and began to write “On the Origin of Species”, which would be published in 1859, and is considered to be the foundation of evolutionary biology.

This item comes with a Certificate from John Reznikoff, a premier authenticator for both major 3rd party authentication services, PSA and JSA (James Spence Authentications), as well as numerous auction houses.

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