More Letters of Charles Darwin — Volume 1. Darwin Charles

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      1871.

      January 17th: Began the "Expression of the Emotions."

      February 24th: "Descent of Man" published (2500 copies).

      April 27th: Finished the rough copy of "Expression."

      June 18th: Began Edition VI. of "Origin." Paper on the Fertilisation of Leschenaultia.

      1872.

      January 10th: Finished proofs of Edition VI. of the "Origin," and "again rewriting 'Expression.'"

      August 22nd: Finished last proofs of "Expression."

      August 23rd: Began working at Drosera.

      November: "Expression" published (7000 copies, and 2000 more printed at the end of the year.)

      November 8th: "At Murray's sale 5267 copies sold to London booksellers."

      1873.

      January: Correcting the Climbing Plants paper for publication as a book.

      February 3rd: At work on "Cross-fertilisation."

      February to September: Contributions to "Nature."

      June 14th: "Began Drosera again."

      November 20th: Began "Descent of Man," Edition II.

      1874.

      "Descent of Man," Edition II, in one volume, published (Preface dated September). "Coral Reefs," Edition II., published.

      April 1st: Began "Insectivorous Plants."

      February to May: Contributed notes to "Nature."

      1875.

      July 2nd: "Insectivorous Plants" published (3000 copies); 2700 copies sold immediately.

      July 6th: "Correcting 2nd edition of 'Variation under Domestication.'" It was published in the autumn.

      September 1st (approximately): Began on "Cross and Self-Fertilisation."

      November: Vivisection Commission.

      1876.

      May 5th: "Finished MS., first time over, of 'Cross and Self-Fertilisation.'"

      May to June: Correction of "Fertilisation of Orchids," Edition II. Wrote his Autobiographical Sketch.

      May and November: Contributions to "Nature."

      August 19th: First proofs of "Cross and Self-Fertilisation."

      November 10th: "Cross and Self-Fertilisation" published (1500 copies).

      1877.

      "All the early part of summer at work on 'Different Forms of Flowers.'"

      July: Publication of "Different Forms of Flowers" (1250 copies). During the rest of the year at work on the bloom on leaves, movements of plants, "and a little on worms."

      November: LL.D. at Cambridge. Second edition of "Fertilisation of Orchids" published. Contributions to "Nature," "Gardeners' Chronicle," and "Mind."

      1878.

      The whole year at work on movements of plants, and on the bloom on leaves.

      May: Contribution to "Nature." Second edition of "Different Forms of Flowers." Wrote prefatory letter to Kerner's "Flowers and their Unbidden Guests."

      1879.

      The whole year at work on movements of plants, except for "about six weeks" in the spring and early summer given to the "Life of Erasmus Darwin," which was published in the autumn. Contributions to "Nature."

      1880. "All spring finishing MS. of 'Power of Movement in Plants' and proof sheets." "Began in autumn on Worms." Prefatory notice written for Meldola's translation of Weismann's book.

      November 6th: 1500 copies of "Power of Movement" sold at Murray's sale. Contributions to "Nature."

      1881.

      During all the early part of the year at work on the "Worm book." Several contributions to "Nature."

      October 10th: The book on "Earthworms" published: 2000 copies sold at once.

      November: At work on the action of carbonate of ammonia on plants.

      1882.

      No entries in the Diary.

      February: At work correcting the sixth thousand of the "Earthworms."

      March 6th and March 16th: Papers on the action of Carbonate of Ammonia on roots, etc., read at the Linnean Society.

      April 6th: Note to "Nature" on Dispersal of Bivalves.

      April 18th: Van Dyck's paper on Syrian Dogs, with a preliminary notice by Charles Darwin, read before the Zoological Society.

      April 19th: Charles Darwin died at Down.

      CHARLES DARWIN

      CHAPTER 1.I. — AN AUTOBIOGRAPHICAL FRAGMENT, AND EARLY LETTERS

1809-1842

      (Chapter I./1. In the process of removing the remainder of Mr. Darwin's books and papers from Down, the following autobiographical notes, written in 1838, came to light. They seem to us worth publishing — both as giving some new facts, and also as illustrating the interest which he clearly felt in his own development. Many words are omitted in the manuscript, and some names incorrectly spelled; the corrections which have been made are not always indicated.)

      My earliest recollection, the date of which I can approximately tell, and which must have been before I was four years old, was when sitting on Caroline's (Caroline Darwin) knee in the drawing room, whilst she was cutting an orange for me, a cow ran by the window which made me jump, so that I received a bad cut, of which I bear the scar to this day. Of this scene I recollect the place where I sat and the cause of the fright, but not the cut itself, and I think my memory is real, and not as often happens in similar cases, {derived} from hearing the thing often repeated, {when} one obtains so vivid an image, that it cannot be separated from memory: because I clearly remember which way the cow ran, which would not probably have been told me. My memory here is an obscure picture, in which from not recollecting any pain I am scarcely conscious of its reference to myself.

      1813.

      When I was four years and a half old I went to the sea, and stayed there some weeks. I remember many things, but with the exception of the maidservants (and these are not individualised) I recollect none of my family who were there. I remember either myself or Catherine being naughty, and being shut up in a room and trying to break the windows. СКАЧАТЬ