Charles Darwin: His Life Told in an Autobiographical Chapter, and in a Selected Series of His Published Letters

Chapter VIII. a break occurs; the story turns back from 1854 to 1831 in

Chapter 1328 wordsPublic domain

order that the Evolutionary chapters which follow may tell a continuous story. In the same way the Botanical Work which occupied so much of my father's time during the latter part of his life is treated separately in Chapters XVI. and XVII.

With regard to Chapter IV., in which I have attempted to give an account of my father's manner of working, I may be allowed to say that I acted as his assistant during the last eight years of his life, and had therefore an opportunity of knowing something of his habits and methods.

My acknowledgments are gladly made to the publishers of the _Century Magazine_, who have courteously given me the use of one of their illustrations for the heading of Chapter IV.

FRANCIS DARWIN.

WYCHFIELD, CAMBRIDGE, _August, 1892_.

FOOTNOTE:

[1] I have not thought it necessary to indicate all the omissions in the abbreviated letters.

NOTE TO THE SECOND EDITION.

It is pleasure to me to acknowledge the kindness of Messrs. Elliott & Fry in allowing me to reproduce the fine photograph which appears as the frontispiece to the present issue.

FRANCIS DARWIN. WYCHFIELD, CAMBRIDGE, _April, 1902_.

TABLE OF CONTENTS.

CHAP. PAGE I.--The Darwins 1

II.--Autobiography 5

III.--Religion 55

IV.--Reminiscences 66

V.--Cambridge Life--The Appointment to the _Beagle_: 1828-1831 104

VI.--The Voyage: 1831-1836 124

VII.--London and Cambridge: 1836-1842 140

VIII.--Life at Down: 1842-1854 150

IX.--The Foundations of the _Origin of Species_: 1831-1844 165

X.--The Growth of the _Origin of Species_: 1843-1858 173

XI.--The Writing of the _Origin of Species_, June 1858, to November 1859 185

XII.--The Publication of the _Origin of Species_, October to December 1859 206

XIII.--The _Origin of Species_--Reviews and Criticisms--Adhesions and Attacks: 1860 223

XIV.--The Spread of Evolution: 1861-1871 245

XV.--Miscellanea--Revival of Geological Work--The Vivisection Question--Honours 281

XVI.--The Fertilisation of Flowers 297

XVII.--Climbing Plants--Power of Movement in Plants--Insectivorous Plants--Kew Index of Plant Names 313

XVIII.--Conclusion 325

APPENDICES.

APPENDIX I.--The Funeral in Westminster Abbey 329

II.--Portraits 331

INDEX 333

CHARLES DARWIN.