Darwin's Notebooks, 1836-1844: Geology, Transmutation of Species, Metaphysical Enquiries [Digitally Printed Version 2008/Internet Edition 2011-2] 9780521350556, 9780521099752

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Charles Darwin's Notebooks, 1836-1844 Darwin's notebooks provide an invaluable record of his scientific thinking and, most importantly, the development of his theory of natural selection. This edition of the notebooks, prepared to the highest modem standards of textual editing, thus affords a unified view of Darwin's professional interests. The Red Notebook, used on the voyage of H.M.S. Beagle and afterwards in England, contains Darwin's first evolutionary statements. In July of 1837, Darwin began his 'Transmutation Notebooks' (B-E) devoted to the solution of the species problem, and in the third notebook of this series he first formulated the theory of natural selection. To this can now be added another species notebook reconstructed from ｬｾｳ･＠ sheets; this 'Tom Apart Notebook' represents the fifth Transmutation ｾｯｴ･｢ｫＮ＠ This volume also contains Notebook A on geology, Notebooks ｾｶｬ＠ and Non man and behaviour, and other notebook and manuscript materials from the period 1836-1844.

CAMBRIDGE UNIVERSITY PRESS Cambridge, New York, Melbourne, Madrid, Cape Town, Singapore, Sao Paulo, Delhi Cambridge University Press The Edinburgh Building, Cambridge CB2 8RU, UK Published in the United States of America by Cambridge University Press, New York www.cambridge.org Information on this title: www.cambridge.org/9780521350556 ©The Committee for the Publication of the Charles Darwin's Notebooks 2008 This publication is in copyright. Subject to statutory exception and to the provisions of relevant collective licensing agreements, no reproduction of any part may take place without the written permission of Cambridge University Press. First published by Cambridge University Press 1987 This digitally printed version 2008 A catalogue record for this publication is available from the British Library

ISBN 978-0-521-35055-6 hardback ISBN 978-0-521-09975-2 paperback

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Notebook pages B126e and Dl34e (see pp. 201, 374-75for a transcription). B126e was originally written c. September 1837, while the note in the bottom comer-transcribed in bold-was added in grey ink between 29 July and 20 October 1838. The additions [in brown crayon} were made in December 1856, when pages were excised and distributed to topical portfolios: 11 was the divergence portfolio (see Table of Location of Excised Pages, pp. 643-52). D134e was written in September 1838, when grey ink was Darwin's standard writing medium. The page was crossed in pencil, presumably after the note was of no further use.

Charles Darwin's Notebooks, 1836-1844 Geology, Transmutation of Species, Metaphysical Enquiries TRANSCRIBED AND EDITED BY

Paul H. Barrett Peter J. Gautrey Sandra Herbert David Kohn Sydney Smith

Michigan State University Cambridge University Library University of Maryland Baltimore County Drew University St Catharine's College Cambridge

NATURAL HISTORY MUSEUM, LONDON CAMBRIDGE UNIVERSITY PRESS

Contents Acknowledgements

Vll

Historical Preface Sydney Smith Introduction Sandra Herbert & David Kohn Red Notebook [1836-1837] Transcribed and edited by Sandra Herbert

7 17

Geology Notebook A [1837-1839] Transcribed and edited by Sandra Herbert Glen Roy Notebook [ 1838] Transcribed and edited by Sydney Smith, Paul H. Barrett, & Peter]. Gautrey

83 141

Transmutation of Species Notebook B [1837-1838] Transcribed and edited by David Kohn Notebook C [ 1838] Transcribed and edited by David Kohn

237

Notebook D [1838] Transcribed and edited by David Kohn Notebook E [1838-1839] Transcribed and edited by David Kohn

395

Torn Apart Notebook [ r83g-1841] Transcribed and edited by Sydney Smith & David Kohn

457

Summer 1842 Transcribed and edited by David Kohn

472

Zoology Notes, Edinburgh Notebook [1837-1839] Transcribed and edited by Paul H. Barrett

475

Questions & Experiments [ r 839- 1844] Transcribed and edited by Paul H. Barrett

Metaphysical Enquiries Notebook M [ r 838) Transcribed and edited by Paul H. Barrett

Notebook N [1838-1839)

561

Transcribed and edited by Paul H. Barrett

0 Id & Useless Notes [ 1838-1840] Transcribed and edited by Paul H. Barrett

597

Abstract of Macculloch [ 1838) Transcribed and edited by Paul H. Barrett

Table of Location of Excised Pages Bibliography Biographical Index Subject Index

701

Symbols used in the transcriptions

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ef Darwin's notebooks

Darwin's deletion Darwin's insertion Darwin's later annotation Darwin's brackets Editors' brackets Wholly or partly excised page

Acknowledgements The editors wish to thank George Pember Darwin on behalfofthe family for kindly extending permission to publish these manuscripts. We also wish to thank the Royal College of Surgeons of England, the present owners of Down House, for granting access to the Red Notebook, and the Syndics of Cambridge University Library for making available the other manuscripts. The British Museum (Natural History) has contributed more to this book than is usual for a publisher, and to all of the following the editors express their gratitude and appreciation. Maldwyn J. Rowlands, then Librarian, gave early encouragement. Robert Cross, formerly Head of Publications, carried the project forward from its inception and served as a firm anchor until its near-completion, when, on his retirement, responsibility passed to Clive Reynard, currently Head of Publications, who has seen the work through to publication. Myra Givans sub-edited the manuscripts with patience, authority, and enthusiasm, skilfully weaving together a text of many parts from five individual authors. Anthony P. Harvey, formerly Head of Library Services, aided the editors in setting an editorial standard; Dorothy Norman from the Library provided bibliographic assistance. Hugh Tempest-Radford designed the book's format. Others from the Museum providing assistance included Rex E. R. Banks, Ann Datta, A. W. Gentry, Susan Goodman, Ray Ingle, and David Snow. We would also like to thank the representatives of our co-publishers for their assistance: Richard Ziemacki at Cambridge University Press, and David Gilbert, Robb Reavill, and, formerly, Daniel Snodderly at Cornell University Press. No library is of greater value for Darwin scholarship than the Cambridge University Library, and no group oflibrarians more helpful. We would like to thank Arthur Owen, Jayne Ringrose, and Margaret Pamplin of the Manuscripts Department; Godfrey Waller, Louise Aldridge, and Noni Hyde-Smith of the Manuscripts Reading Room; Anne Darvall and staff of the Reading Room; maps librarian Roger Fairclough; Gerry Bye and staff of the Photography Department and, for the colour microfilm, Carol Papworth; and Janet Coleby of the Conservation Department. We wish also to thank the following librarians and institutions: Reginald Fish, Zoological Society of London; N. H. Robinson, Royal Society of London; David Wileman and Francis Herbert, Royal Geographical Society; Ian Fraser, Local Studies Library, Shrewsbury; M. I. Williams, National Library of Wales; Claude Douault, Museum National d'Histoire Naturelle; Andree Lheritier and Claude Philippon, Bibliotheque Nationale; Brigitte Le Liepvre, Institut de France; Shirley Humphries, State Library of New South Wales; Constance Carter, Gary Fitzpatrick, and James Flatness of the Library of Congress; Martha Shirky, University of Missouri-Columbia; Marcia Goodman, University of Oklahoma; Vanessa Stubban, Kansas State University; Edwina Pancake, Douglas Hurd, and Peter Farrell, University of Virginia; Alan E. Fusonie, National Agricultural Library; and Carol Duane Jones, Michigan State University. To members of the Correspondence ef Charles Darwin project we owe the intellectual debt due to the closest of colleagues. In particular we wish to thank the project for permission to draw on its great store of biographical sketches, many of which appear in an altered format in the biographical index to this volume. Frederick Burkhardt and Stephen V. Pocock have given us particular assistance in this biographical research. In addition, Anne Secord was especially helpful in identifying linkages between letters and notebooks. Philip Titheradge of the Darwin Museum at Down House, Downe, Kent has graciously assisted us with information on the manuscripts and books kept at the Museum. Fellow scholars whose knowledge and judgement have benefited this edition include: Vll

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

Stephen G. Brush, P. Thomas Carroll, Jane R. Camerini, Gordon Chancellor, Alain Corcos, John Cornell, Elizabeth Ermarth, Margaret W. Grimes, John C. Greene, M.J. S. Hodge, Nicholas Hotton III, Virginia Imig, G. A. Lindeboom, R. G. Mazzolini, Andrea Medacco, Franklin Mendels, Peter Maxwell-Stuart, Stan P. Rachootin, Frank H. T. Rhodes, Martin J. S. Rud wick, Simon Schaffer, James A. Secord, Phillip R. Sloan, Frank J. Sulloway, J. C. Thackray, Thomas Vargish, Magda Vasillov, Victor G. Wexler, Charlotte Watkins, Charles Webster, Leonard G. Wilson, and Penelope Wilson. To them we extend our appreciation. For research assistance we would like to thankJanet Browne for creating the index and for comments as an informed and helpful reader. We would also like to thank Barbara Newell-Berghage and Nick Gil for substantial work on the bibliography. Others who have assisted us in important and timely ways include Saundra Barker, Mary Bartley, Jenny Fellowes, Virginia Imig, Elizabeth Kight, Stephen S. Kim, Chris MacLeod, Mindy Schwartz, Ronald Settle, Dale Simmons, and Jean Wilkins. To them we express our thanks. The following university officers have assisted this project at critical junctures: Bard Thompson and Paolo Cucci at Drew University; Richard U. Byerrum, Richard Howe, Richard Seltin, and Diana Marinez at Michigan State University; and R. K. Webb at the University of Maryland Baltimore County. For assistance with computers we wish to thank Sam Motherwell and Chris Sendall at Cambridge University Library; Donald J. Weinshank and Stephan]. Ozminsky at Michigan State University; and David Czar, Natalie Stone, and Les Lloyd at Drew University. For typing we are indebted to Martha McAllister of Michigan State University, who produced the bibliography and texts of several of the notebooks, and to Carol Warner and Linda Hatmaker of the University of Maryland Baltimore County. For hospitality the editors would like to express their gratitude to the Masters and Fellows of Churchill College, Darwin College, and St Catharine's College; the Warden and Fellows of Robinson College; the President and Fellows of Wolfson College; and the Program in History of Science at Princeton University. For financial support of the project the editors are indebted to the National Science Foundation. Additional travel assistance was provided by the American Philosophical Society. Individual editors also wish to thank the following institutions, foundations, and agencies: Paul H. Barrett, Michigan State University; Peter J. Gautrey, Cambridge University Library; Sandra Herbert, the John Simon Guggenheim Memorial Foundation, the National Endowment for the Humanities, and the University of Maryland Baltimore County; and David Kohn, the American Council of Learned Societies and Drew University. The editors also wish to thank the Alfred P. Sloan Foundation for a publication subsidy. While the editors have worked collaboratively, individual responsibilities being assigned as noted on the table of contents, recognition must also be given to Peter J. Gautrey who has supplied information as needed from the Darwin Archive, has checked all transcriptions against the original manuscripts, and has served as Secretary to the committee. Recognition must also be given to Sydney Smith for contributing his transcription notes of Notebooks B-E for use in editing these notebooks, and to Paul H. Barrett for identifying and assembling photocopies of many of the extracts from books and articles that were used in writing footnotes for Notebooks B-E and the Torn Apart Notebook. Finally, the editors would like to thank members of their families who contributed their encouragement, and, in several instances, research to this edition. They are: Wilma Barrett, Margaret Anne Rathert, Paul H. Barrett, Jr., Thomas E. Barrett; Maureen Gautrey, Kerrin Gautrey, Sean Gautrey, Astell Gautrey; James Herbert, Kristen Herbert, Sonja Herbert, Charles Herbert, Helen Herbert, Emrick C. Swanson, Joann Swanson; Terry Kohn, Robert Kohn, Noah Benjamin Kohn, Jesse Kohn, Herbert M. Kidner; and Kate Smith. Vlll

CAMBRIDGE Cambridge University Press 978-0-521-0 9975-2 - Charles Darwin's Notebooks, 1836-1844 : Geology, Transmutation of Species, Metaphysical Enquiries Edit ed by Paul H. Barrett , Pet er J. Gautr ey, Sandra Herbert, David Kohn and Sydney Smith Excerpt More information

Historical Preface SYDNEY S!vl!TH

The documents here newly transcribed with the benefit of contemporary insight sustained by computer technology, are survivors from Darwin's period of maximal diversification of interests which drove him to make a bstracts of eve1ything available in print. T his was, moreover, about the last time when such an activity was within the capacity of a single man. The results a ccumulated in the family home, extended to house the growing family and essential staff, record forty years of writing and experimenting, mostly written on high-quality paper made from linen rags. Down House, Downe, K ent is today the store of material covering Darwin's life up to the return from the Beagle voyage. Papers relating to domestic matters, Darwin's health and activities in the garden, poultry and pigeon houses and so on are a lso at Down. The major store and site for accumula tion of most of Darwin's working papers and significantly important manuscripts, and of the conten ts of this book, is the Darwin Archive of Cambridge University Library. It is my concern to give in outline the occasionally chaotic history and to record and give tha nks for the recent and continuing generosity of contempora1y members of the Darwin family a nd others. The Archive at Cambridge is incomparable in richness and as yet in completely exploited treasure. This volume aims to cover the years 1836 to 1844 when the theory of transmutation was conceived a nd was drafted in pencil in 1842 (DAR 6) to the second version of 1844 (DAR 7) . Following the death of Emma in 1896, the manuscripts of the original sketches of 1842 and 1844 were found in a cupboard under the staircase at Down House. Supplementing the manuscript versions Darwin, plagued by ill-health and fearing premature death, had a fair copy (DAR 113) made in 1844 by Mr Fletcher, the Downe schoolmaster, which was interleaved for additions and corrections. This copy was returned to Darwin in September, 1844 and corrected by him against the original manuscript. On the 21st of the month Mr Fletcher, for his 'Species theory copying' was paid the sum of £2.o.o. In the event of his death, Darwin's wife Emma was charged with revealing the contents with the help of individual friends. Pu blic knowledge of the extent and quality of manuscripts, furniture, photographs and portraits in the family became clear when the Linnean Society of London celebrated the fiftieth anniversary of the meeting on 1 J uly 1858, at which the Darwin-Wallace communications were read by the Secretary. In 1909, the centenary of Darwin's birth and the fiftieth year after the 'Origin' was published, was made an oceasion for celebration in Cambridge 22 to 24 J une. At the same time an exhibition was mounted in the Old Library of Christ's College. The catalogue and also the Easter Term issue of the College Magazine should not be neglected. Most of the material in the Cambridge exhibition was also exhibited with many items from the British M useum (Natural H istory) in a further display in London in J uly. The Director of the Museum, Sir Sidney F. Harmer and Dr W. G . Ridewood, published a document of great significance to scholars, as some of the loans from the Royal College of Surgeons' Museum in Lincoln's Inn were lost in air raids on London during the War of 1939- 45. The catalogue Memorials of Charles Danvin, 1909, was re-issued in 191 0 and might well be reprin ted, b ut not I fear for sixpence a copy. As Harmer says in the Preface:

it seemed best to illustrate some of Darwin's arguments by means of specimens, using as .far as possible the species w which he himself referred in his writings, and in some cases the material which actually passed through his hands. I

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CAMBRIDGE Cambridge University Press 978-0-521-09975-2 - Charles Darwin's Notebooks, 1836-1844: Geology, Transmutation of Species, Metaphysical Enquiries Edited by Paul H. Barrett , Peter J . Gautrey, Sandra Herbert, David Kohn and Sydney Smith Excerpt More information

PREFACE

At that time it is interesting to see that a part from notebooks of the Beagle period, only Notebook M , d ealing chiefl y with expression (item 42) was exhibited. Every delegate at the Ca mbridge celebrations had been given a prin ting of the pencil manuscript of the first ( 1842) version of the 'Origin'. Francis re-issued this and also the version of 1844 entitled 'T he fo und ations of the Origin of Species'. After the celebrations in 1909 Fra ncis Darwin resided at 'Wychfield ', his house in Cambridge with a few favourites from among his father's books. He also kept on his research room in the Botany School where his old assistant would set up plants for him to confirm or perhaps ex tend old er measurements. He wrote an introduction to che Collected Works of his brother George, the Plumian Professor of Astronomy at Cambridge who d ied in 1913. He wrote on natural history and continued his lifelong practice at music-playing the bassoon in cham ber works. H e died in 1925 and left the residue of his father's library to the Botany School where they were distributed as reading copies on the open shelves and where, amongst other works by H erbert Spencer, Darwin's annotated numbers of his Principles of Biology were stum bled on. In 1925 Darwin himself was underrated. Francis left the great accumulation of doc uments assembled for Life and Letters, published in 1887, and with A. C. Seward, the two-volume More Letters, published in 1903 which weighted most essentially the scientific content of the published correspondence. Difficult subjects as Cirripedes and Pigeon breeding were still left on one side. Bernard, the inheritor of this accumulation, moved into 'Gorringes', a former dower house on the Lubbock estate in Downe village. Following the death of his wife in 1954 he moved to Kensington, where he died on r6 October 1963. The more esteemed of the manuscripts belonged to Sir Charles Galton Darwin at the National Physical Laboratory: the Beagle Diary, and the manuscript ' Recollections of the Development of my Mind and Character', now called his 'Autobiography'. Owing to characteristic outspokenness in this work, complete publication was restricted during the lifetime of Leonard Darwin. He died in 1943. On 4 September 1942, at one of the most troubled and d ifficult moments of World War II , Sir Alan Barlow, with his wife Nora at hand, wrote to the Librarian of Cambridge University as follows:

Dear Mr Scholfield, The Pilgrim Trust have decided to buy certain MSS of Charles Darwin, with the intention that the main part should be given to the Cambridge University Library, and the rest to Down House. I am writing to ask whether the Library would be willing to accept the gift ... the greater number belong to Bernard Darwin & Mrs Corriford, and the rest to Sir Charles Darwin. I am co-executor with Bernard Darwin of tile Late Sir Francis Darwin, his and Mrs Comford's father, and am writing on behalf of all three. The proposal is to give to Down House, the diary of the 'Beagle' (the property of Sir Charles Darwin), which is at present deposited with you, the field notebooks from which it was cl)11lpiled; certain smaller items relating particularly to Down; and Charles Darwin's personal account books; and to give the rest to Cambridge. The principle of the division is to let Down have a popular exhibit, & items specially relating to Down, but to keep together in the Universi{Y Library the rest of the material, in order that it may be available for arD' future student of Darwin & his work. The material throws a good deal of light on his methods of work & the growth of his theory of Evolution & Natural Selection. A ft er specifying the location of Sir Charles (Galton) Darwin's MSS Sir Alan proceeds:

The rest of the material is in Sir Bernard Darwin's House-Gorringes, Downe, Kent. The Down

2

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House Trustees have accepted the items offered to them, [they were transferred by October 1942] and Sir Charles Danvin will be writing to you to ask you to send the 'Beagle' Diary to them. He concludes

We all feel the documents should be in a public library rather than in private ownership, & though sale in the U.S.A. would have produced more cash, we would like them to remain in this country. We should be glad that through the munificence ef the Pilgrim Trust, they should find a home at Cambricf..ge. Yours very truly,

Alan Barlow. On 14th October 1942 the University accepted the gift, but in spite of appeals from Bernard that the Library collect their property, the excuse of staff shortage to catalogue and process accessions, petrol rationing for carriage allowed the Librarian to remain inert and unresponsive. Somewhat exasperated, Bernard Darwin wrote 9 May 1946: May I remindyou that yr Darwin documents are still here awaiting you, unblitz:,ed and unburgled so far. Scholfield was invited for lunch. He replied that he could not commit himself and suggested carriage be undertaken by rail or by Pickfords. Bernard answered 22 May 1946: I am disinclined to send them off by rail or by Pic!ifords. Meanwhile a request to the Library from Sweden for permission to consult the Darwin material had been forward ed to Bernard by the staff for him to attend to. T his produced this expostulation 3 1 August 1948:

I really do think it is timeyou sentfor your property here ... I am most anxious to he quit efthem and this sort of thing is not very encouraging to those who give. Do please take some step on this matter-/ wish you would. Mr Creswick, then Secretary of the Library, repl ied for Scholfield who was ill, and action to some purpose was a t long last begun. Creswick was able to report to Sir Charles Darwin on 13 O ctober I 948: Those MSS destined for Cambridge have been collected from Downe & Barclays Bank. There remained errors in assigning items between Down H ouse and Cambridge to be set right, but there also remained items which were still missing. O n 4 J une 1949 when thanking Bernard for the gift of the 'Gorringes' 1932 catalogue, compiled by Miss Catherine Ritchie, Creswick concluded:

. . . all our efforts are being directed to completing the toll ef known Danvin manuscripts and their present whereabouts in the interest ef posterity and the fame ofyour great ancestor. The 'Edinburgh Notebook' was missing. It was known to have been borrowed by the late Professor Ashworth who had Professed Zoology at Edinburgh U niversity. Sir Charles Darwin as well as Bernard were approached, and the Librarian of the National Library of Scotland was asked to help sort things out. The widow of Professor Ashworth was able to supply the receipt of the registered parcel conveying the loan back to Bernard on 28 August, 1935. Moreover, she still had the note from him acknowledging its return. He accordingly searched at 'Gorringes' with more care, to reveal the notebook tucked away in a locked drawer where I ought to have looked before. (Letter 7 February 1949) Meanwhile his wife's own search turned out the massive and important 'Diary of obser\ia tions on Zoology of the places visited during the voyage'. Both items were sent to the

3

PREFACE

Library 7 February 1949. Reporting these events to Mrs Ashworth in a letter 8 February, Mr Creswick concluded:

... nry enquiries about the Edinburgh notebook is complete success. This is to large extent due to your kindness in allowing me to see the papers relating llJ the use of the Noubook, and its return in 1935. My letter Lo Mr Darwin was so convincing, that he made afurther search and found it together with a great bundle of other papers all in Charles Darwin's hand. We have therefore, as good reason to be grateful to you as ifyou had presented us with a valuable manuscript for the library. It seems fair to conclude that Bernard did not know where the items still required to complete the gift to Cambridge may be in his house. The list of undelivered material was sent to Bernard on two occasions, without any response. In preparation for the move to K ensi ng ton, miscellaneous treasures which were outside the 'Gorringes' catalogue were placed in Box ' B' a nd the Box put in to store. T hese items included Erasmus Darwin's corres pondence with his contemporary Richard Lovell Edgeworth, author and inventor, together with part or a letter from Benjamin Franklin while he was U.S. Ambassador in Paris, as well as a great treasure of family letters which have proved invaluable for giving continuity to the Correspondence. Some items missing from Boxes A, C, D and E, reappeared over a period , but there were a small number still missing a nd not traced. Box 'B' had labels tied to a handle; an old dirty one inscribed 'Box " B" CD ', seemingly dating from the division of the manuscripts between the five Boxes A to E. The other label was newer, ' B. Darwin 26/9/56, J o hn Ba rker & Co. Ltd. Depository. Cromwell Cresccn1. W.' It seems that Bernard had the Box in his flat for about two years. Box ' B' reappeared when Barker's ceased trading as a separate store a nd merged with Derry & T oms. The Box was returned to Bernard's custody, but was housed in the basement o f chc Science Museum, close to the Royal College of Art where Sir Robin Darwin, Bernard's son, was Principal. There was already other Darwin material deposited there: notably the letters sent to Darwin from the 1860s when he had to assume responsibilities congruent l.'.rith his public notoriety; and in addition, observations shared by both Charles and his son Francis which hovered on the edge of Charles' own work and continued by Francis after his father died. When arranging his father's man uscripts, Francis overlooked this joint work, so much of the material on the Power of Movement in Plants appeared. The storage in the Science Museum seems to have been arranged while Sir T erence M orrison Scott was Director. When he became Director of the British Museum (Natural History) the boxes moved with him. Sir Robin Darwin, informed of this mislaid property now assembled for inspection, wrote to Lady Barlow suggesting she and I call for an appraisal. This we did on the morning of 22 March 1962, initially meeting with Miss Skramovsky, secretary to the former Director, Sir Gavin de Beer, who still retained working space in the library of the Museum . The black metal deed box, its lock burst open by force, was filled with a confusio n of manuscripts, amongst which was a small sealed envelope inscribed by Francis Da rwin: ' Box C. Ds. Darwin's J ournal'. This is the description in the 'Gorringes' list. 'C.' implies the J ournal had been removed from Box 'C', and moreover Francis signed the sealed envelope before 1925. It seemed probable that the arrangemcnL of the documents was done by Francis, possibly with his fa ther. I handed the envelope to Lady Barlow saying you should open this. T he long-lost, original J ournal was inside and we were released from the tidied up, distorted travesty from which Sir Gavin de Beer produced the reprinc. After lunch with Sir Ro bin, we adjourned to his office at the top of the Royal College of Art where we were shown the books from Box ' H '. These consisted of Darwin's copies of his works with corrections and additions, together with copies formerly belonging to the family. These books were for sale

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CAMBRIDGE Cambridge University Press 978-0-521-09975-2 - Charles Darwin's Notebooks, 1836-1844: Geology, Transmutation of Species, Metaphysical Enquiries Edited by Paul H. Barrett, Peter J. Gautrey, Sandra Herbert, David Kohn and Sydney Smith Excerpt More information

PR EFACE

and our advice was sought as to their possible value. We told Robin of the high significance of the volumes and suggested an expert should be consulted about their value. In the end, all the books reached Cambridge University Library a few months later the gift ef an anonymous

donor. The envelopes listed in the 'Gorringes' catalogue under C.40 were found to contain most of the excised pages from the notebooks transcribed on the pages that follow. Marked with the number of envelope in crayon, the pages were cut out by Darwin, ' B' notebook, 7 Dec. 1856; ' C ', r 3 Dec. r 856; 'D', 14 Dec. r 856, and finally 'E', 15 Dec. r 856. Some pages are to be found in ot her places in the Darwin Archive at Cambridge, but the majority have been located in the C.40 envelopes in Box ' B' and now moun ted in volumes DAR 205.1-11. Shortly after this great day in London, Sir Robin agreed to the deposit of Box 'B' with the Un iversity Library in Cambridge but, while access was possible, the con tents of ' B' were so chaotic that it took a good time to decide which of the materials were stiU Robin's property. Things were not finally agreed upon when he died suddenly in January 1974. He bequeathed to his two sisters those manuscripts in the black Box 'B' which had been placed therein entirely independent of the 'Gorringes' list. This was an exacting task, buc by agreement with Sir Robin's lawyers, fu nds already given co the Library together with a matching Government G rant aimed at safeguarding for the Nation manuscripts of great importance, money was made available to provide annuities for the two sisters. The greater part of the excised pages were later transcribed by de Beer, Rowlands and Skramovsky and published in Bulletin ef the British Museum (Natural History), Historical Series. Issued in 1967, this work was read by me in proof There has been difficulty in studying the notebooks in scattered publications, which is why the present attempt to bring them together in a seemly fashion was an urgent task. During many years of my serious indisposition the colleagues whose labours complete the work have earned my warm gratitude and I am sure the respect of fu ture readers.

Non:: All correspondence relating to the original gilt is to be found arranged in chro110/ogical order in DAR 156.

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CAMBRIDGE Cambridge University Press 978-0-521-09975-2 - Charles Darwin's Notebooks, 1836-1844: Geology, Transmutation of Species, Metaphysical Enquiries Edited by Paul H. Barrett, Peter J. Gautrey, Sandra Herbert, David Kohn and Sydney Smith Excerpt More information

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