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Charles Darwin important Science content signed letter to "The Descent Of Man" collaborator
Charles Darwin important Science content signed letter to "The Descent Of Man" collaborator
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Darwin Charles

Charles Darwin important association LS on "The Descent Of Man" fellow scientist

 

Bi-fold letter, 5" x 8", penned on stationery with letterhead of Down/Bromley/Kent. S.C. with Bromley crossed off and the word "Brekenshaw' written in. Penned in the hand of Emma Darwin to three sides, with final page blank. Charles Darwin boldly signed the letter with a strong full signature on the third page. Dated "Nov 29, 1870". Near fine.

 

Darwin was in the process of writing "The Descent of Man, and Selection in Relation to Sex", first published February 24, 1871, merely 3 months after this letter was written. Darwin's letter was composed to his publisher on behalf of a request by Mr. Cupples's wife seeking an application for a government pension. Cupples had worked with Darwin on several of the research and investigative findings on Darwin's book, with Darwin specifically quoting some of Cupples research on page 338, and again on page 176. Cupples offered his scientific observations on the selection of several female dogs and their attachments to males corresponding to breeding, in addition to having personally given Darwin a Deer Hound puppy. In The Descent of Man, Darwin was offering his objective observations on how female and males of "higher level" animals mate and produce offspring. Page 338 is shown in part below with Darwin's direct reference to Mr. Cupples:

 

"Mr. Cupples informs me that he can personally vouch for the accuracy of the following more remarkable case, in which a valuable and wonderfully- intelligent female terrier loved a retriever belonging to a neighbour to such a degree, that she had often to be dragged away from him. After their permanent separation … she would never acknowledge the courtship of any other dog, and to the regret of her owner never bore puppies. Mr. Cupples also states, that in 1868, a female deerhound in his kennel thrice produced puppies, and on each occasion shewed a marked preference for one of the largest and handsomest, but not the most eager, of four deerhounds living with her, all in the prime of life. Mr. Cupples has observed that the female generally favours a dog whom she has associated with and knows; her shyness and timidity at first incline her against a strange dog. The male, on the contrary, seems rather inclined towards strange females. "

 

And further on page 176, when Darwin reflects on the cause of natural selection as a determining factor in the overall population of males verses females, he is once again is assisted by information supplied by Mr. Cupples:

 

"I had hoped to gain some light on this subject from the breeding of dogs; inasmuch as in most breeds, with the exception, perhaps, of greyhounds, many more female puppies are destroyed than males, just as with the Toda infants. Mr. Cupples assures me that this is usual with Scotch deer- hounds. Unfortunately, I know nothing of the proportion of the sexes in any breed, excepting greyhounds, and there the male births are to the females as 110.1 to 100. Now from enquiries made from many breeders, it seems that the females are in some respects more esteemed, though otherwise troublesome; and it does not appear that the female puppies of the best- bred dogs are systematically destroyed more than the males, though this does sometimes take place to a limited extent … As the males and females of many animals differ somewhat in habits and are exposed in different degrees to danger, it is probable that in many cases, more of one sex than of the other are habitually destroyed. But as far as I can trace out the complication of causes, an indiscriminate though large destruction of either sex would not tend to modify the sex-producing power of the species …  In no case, as far as we can see, would an inherited tendency to produce both sexes in equal numbers or to produce one sex in excess, be a direct advantage or disadvantage to certain individuals more than to others; for instance, an individual with a tendency to produce more males than females would not succeed better in the battle for life than an individual with an opposite tendency; and therefore a tendency of this kind could not be gained through natural selection.

 

The strong peer based association between Darwin and Cupples is evident in this offered letter written from Darwin to his publisher in support of George Cupples securing a governmental pension. Darwin champions Cupples's involvement with his book's scientific research. Charles Darwin's letter is shown below:

 

"Dear Sir,

I have been informed that an application is to be made to government for a pension for Mr. Cupples. Although I am not personally acquainted with the gentleman, I have corresponded with him on scientific subjects during several years. On some very intricate points he has been so kind as not only to collect, at the cost of much trouble, information from various sources, but had like-wise made for me valuable observations. Therefore he has my sincere good wishes for his success. I have confined myself to the above points relating to Science, as I consider Literature beyond my province.

I beg leave to remain , dear Sir

yours faithfully

Charles Darwin"

 

An outstanding, boldly signed letter by Charles Darwin acknowledging the important contributions offered by a scientific peer who participated in research Darwin quoted within his book,  "The Descent Of Man".

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