Life of Charles Darwin

CONTENTS.

CHAPTER I.

Darwin's ancestry; his grandfather, Dr. Erasmus Darwin, a

successful physician, and author of "The Botanic Garden,"

"The Temple of Nature," &c.; his father, Robert Waring

Darwin, also a successful physician; his maternal grand-

father, Josiah Wedgwood, the celebrated potter; his

mother's education and training; Charles Robert Darwin,

born at Shrewsbury, Feb. 12, 1809; Mrs. Darwin dies in

July, 1817; her eldest son, Erasmus, friend of the

Carlyles; Charles Darwin's education by Mr. Case, and at

Shrewsbury Grammar School; his character as a boy; is

sent to Edinburgh University in 1825

CHAPTER II.

Darwin a member of the Plinian Society, of Edinburgh; makes
natural history excursions; his first scientific paper read
March, 27, 1827; friendship with Dr. Grant; Jameson's
lectures on zoology; Darwin enters Christ's College, Cam-
bridge, in 1828; his friendship with Prof. Henslow; his
account of Henslow; Darwin at this time specially an
entomologist; his excursions with Henslow; takes B.A.
degree in 1831, M.A. in 1837; voyage of Beagle proposed,
and Darwin appointed as naturalist; the Beagle sails on Dec.
27, 1831; Darwin's letters to Henslow published 1835;
1832, Darwin at Teneriffe, Cape de Verde Islands, St.
Paul's Rocks, Bahia, Rio de Janeiro (April); excursions
into interior and amusing adventures; his experiences and
horror of slavery; at Monte Video, July; Maldonado,

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Rio Negro; visit to Tierra del Fuego, Dec. 1832-Jan.

1833; rencontre with General Rosas; many extinct

animals discovered; Buenos Ayres, Sept. 1833; excur-

sion to Santa Fé; Port Desire, Dec. 1833; Port St.

Julian, Jan. 1834; Valparaiso, July 1834; expeditions

to the Andes, Santiago, &c.; Chiloe, Nov. 1834; the

Chonos Archipelago, Dec. 1834; Valdivia, Feb. 1835;

an earthquake experience; expedition across the Cordillera

in March, 1835; voyage across the Pacific commenced in

September; the Galapagos Archipelago and its interesting

animals; Tahiti, Nov. 1835; Darwin's opinion of

English products, and of the influence of Christian mis-

sionaries; New Zealand, Dec. 1835; Port Jackson, Jan.

1836; Tasmania, Feb.; the Keeling Islands, April; the

homeward journey; Falmouth reached, Oct. 2, 1836;

Capt. Fitzroy's opinion of Darwin; Darwin's first impres-

sion of savages

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CHAPTER III.

Darwin elected F.G.S.; Lyell's high opinion of him; secre-
tary of the Geological Society, Feb. 1838-41; reads
numerous papers before the Society; elected F.R.S., Jan.
24, 1839; marries his cousin, Miss Wedgwood, early in
1839;Journal of Researches," published 1839, highly
praised in Quarterly Review; publication of zoology of the
Beagle (1839-43); extraordinary animals described therein;
other results of the voyage; plants described by Hooker
and Berkeley; work on "Coral Reefs " published 1842;.
Darwin's new theory at once accepted; subsequent views
of Semper, Dana, and Murray; second and third parts of
Geology of Beagle ("Volcanic Islands and South
America "); other geological papers; Darwin settles at
Down House, near Beckenham, 1842; appears at Oxford
meeting of British Association, 1847 ; contributes
chapter on Geology to Herschel's manual of Scientific
Enquiry; publishes great works on recent and fossil
cirripedia, 1851-4; receives Royal Medal of Royal
Society, 1853, and Wollaston Medal of Geological Society,
1859

CHAPTER IV.

Confusion in description of species; labours of Professors Owen
and Huxley; Darwin's ideas on the origin of species germi-
nated during the voyage of the Beagle; he collected facts,

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1837-42; drew up a sketch, 1842; enlarged it in 1844;
previous speculations on the subject; views of Erasmus
Darwin, Geoffroy St. Hilaire, and Lamarck; Darwin's
opinion of Lamarck; influence of Lyell; influence of

South American experience; reads Malthus on Popula-

tion ; "Vestiges of Creation ; Mr. Herbert Spencer and

evolution; Lyell's letters; Sir Joseph Hooker on species;

Mr. A. R. Wallace communicates his views to Darwin;

Lyell and Hooker persuade Darwin to publish his views

together with those of Wallace; introductory letter by

Lyell and Hooker to Linnean Society, June 30, 1858;

Darwin's and Wallace's papers, read July 1, 1858; Sir J.

Hooker announces his adhesion to Darwin's views, 1859. 64

CHAPTER V.

Analysis of the "Origin of Species," published Nov. 1859;

special notes of Darwin's personal experiences; remark-

able growth of morphology and embryology since its

publication; opposition to the new views; criticisms of

leading journals and reviews; second edition of "Origin,"

called for in six weeks; third, in March 1861; historical

sketch of progress of opinion prefixed; alterations in

successive editions; sixth edition, 1872; foreign transla-

tions

CHAPTER VI.

Darwin's physical appearance, habits, distinguished visitors;
his kindliness; attachment of friends; his family; he
reads important botanical papers before the Linnean
Society; publishes the "Fertilisation of Orchids," 1862;
analysis of the book; Darwin receives Copley Medal of
Royal Society, 1864; Movements and Habits of Climb-
ing Plants," 1865; "Variation of Animals and Plants under
Domestication," 1868; the hypothesis of pangenesis not
favourably received.

CHAPTER VII.