Description:

Darwin Charles




Darwin ALS, While Revising "Origin of The Species," And Reflecting Social and Religious Adversity

 

The period in history of this Darwin signed and autographed letter requires an understanding of England in 1850's. Darwin had just lived through a time when seditious atheists were using evolution as part of their weaponry again Anglican oppression and were jailed for blasphemy. Yet Darwin persevered in his scientific studies, having completed works on Cirripedia's and was already at work developing his theory on the Origin of Man which was to be published by 1859. These events were not accomplished in a peaceful state, as his outstanding theory wrought complete havoc with the societal beliefs of God and Religion, and all chaos erupted …

 

1859: On The Origin of Species by Means Of Natural Selection, or the Preservation of Favoured Races in the Struggle for Life is published in London on 24 November by John Murray

 

1860: Publishes 2nd Edition of Origin. Foreign editions appear. Begins work on Variation book

 

1861: Continued work on Variation book. Published 3rd edition of Origin

 

 

Condition: Bi-fold autograph letter signed, 4.75" x 8", with a black border to first page. Penned extensively  on all four sides. Dated to the front in Darwin's hand "Down Farnborough Kent Dec 26th", and signed by Darwin on final page as "Ch R Darwin". Expected folds with small pinhole to middle fold, not affecting script. Strong contrasting ink.

 

Darwin’s theory of evolution was ground-breaking and came with controversy, from fellow scientific peers and the public, it wasn’t until 1859 that he publicly introduced his theory. This period was one of intense conflict over religious morality in England. Were his secret discovered, he would stand accused of social abandon. Censorship was the norm during that era,  and other materialists were being publicly disgraced. And to this concern, Darwin said that believing in evolution was “like confessing a murder.” Yet under this immense pressure with concerns over being accused of social abandon,  Darwin stayed on course, and in November 1859, published the first edition of his ground breaking theory "On the Origin of Species by Means of Natural Selection". For the following 3 plus years he continued to revise and edit it and continued experimenting and revamping the "Origin" through six editions. He still feared the worst and sent copies to the experts with self-effacing letters (“how you will long to crucify me alive”). It was like “living in Hell,” he said about those months. He received criticism for the implication that humans were descended from apes and drew opposition from religious groups. During the period of this letter, much Public debates and confrontations arose as the result of his ground breaking theory on the Origin of Man. The most famous confrontation took place at the public 1860 Oxford evolution debate during a meeting of the British Association for the Advancement of Science, when the Bishop of Oxford Samuel Wilberforce  argued against Darwin's explanation. In the ensuing debate arguments were strongly in favor of Darwinian evolution. Thomas Huxley's  support of evolution was so intense that the media and public nicknamed him "Darwin's bulldog". Huxley became the fiercest defender of the evolutionary theory on the Victorian stage. Both sides came away feeling victorious, but Huxley went on to depict the debate as pivotal in a struggle between religion and science and used Darwinism to campaign against the authority of the clergy in education, as well as daringly advocating the "Ape Origin of Man".

 

While Darwin was researching, studying and devising his theory, he also had become quite wealthy, and by the 1850 the Darwin's had £80,000 invested; and were absentee landlords of two large Lincolnshire farms.

 

This superb letter written by Darwin in the middle of this intense period of his life while writing and editing his masterpiece, discusses his financial investments, including his mortgages as an absentee landlord. This letter appears in the Darwin Correspondence Project, with their additional footnotes shown below. He writes in part:

 

 

"My dear Sir

I am much obliged for your note informing me that Sir J. Hanmer has given notice to pay off the mortgage on June 25th. next.I am sorry for it, but as I can buy guaranteed Ry. shares, which will pay nearly or quite four per cent, I do not think I would have reduced the interest; even had I been asked.

I yesterday sent a note to Mr Jos. Wedgwood to be forwarded to you, (if he consented) asking you to give notice to the Exs: of the late Capt. Muckleston to pay the 1000£: but now this large sum of 10,000£ is to be paid up, I do not wish for Capt. Muckleston’s thousand, without you think it likely that it will in any case be soon paid up, for in that case, I should like it soon. If, however, you suppose that this 1000£ will be kept for some years, please burn my note, & let the affair rest as it is.

Pray believe me | My dear Sir | Yours faithfully & obliged | Ch. R. Darwin

To | T. Salt Esq—

P.S. I have opened my letter to say, that upon further reflexion, I will request you to be so good as to give notice to Executor of Capt Muckleston, if you receive (as I anticipate) Mr. Jos. Wedgwoods consent.—"

 

1.The year is established by the reference to the paying of John Hanmer’s mortgage (see n. 2, below).

 

2.The note from Salt has not been found. CD had inherited Hanmer’s £10,000 mortgage from his father, Robert Waring Darwin (Shropshire Archives, Salt Collection, D3651/B/47/1/1/1/1/6). According to CD’s Investment book (Down House MS), p. 45, the mortgage was paid off on 1 June 1852.

 

3.Hanmer had been paying four per cent on his mortgage. CD held stock in a number of different railway companies (see CD’s Investment book).

 

4.See letter to Thomas Salt, 24 December 1851. The loan to Edward Muckleston (1790–1851) was not repaid until 1854 (CD’s Investment book). Josiah Wedgwood III was one of Emma Darwin’s trustees. The loan to Muckleston was part of her trust property.

 

 

A superb very personal letter. Scarce.


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