Charles Darwin: His Life in an Autobiographical Chapter Part 23

MY DEAR NEWTON--I had hardly heard of Darwin before going to the East, except as connected with the voyage of the _Beagle_, which I _think_ I had read. I saw him _once_ for a few minutes in the British Museum before I sailed. Through Stevens, my agent, I heard that he wanted curious _varieties_ which he was studying. I _think_ I wrote to him about some varieties of ducks I had sent, and he must have written once to me. I find on looking at his "Life" that his _first_ letter to me is given in vol. ii. p. 95, and another at p. 109, both after the publication of my first paper. I must have heard from some notices in the _Athenaeum_, I think (which I had sent me), that he was studying varieties and species, and as I was continually thinking of the subject, I wrote to him giving some of my notions, and making some suggestions.

But at that time I had not the remotest notion that he had already arrived at a definite theory--still less that it was the same as occurred to me, suddenly, in Ternate in 1858. The most interesting coincidence in the matter, I think, is, that I, _as well as Darwin_, was led to the theory itself through Malthus--in my case it was his elaborate account of the action of "preventive checks" in keeping down the population of savage races to a tolerably fixed, but scanty number.

This had strongly impressed me, and it suddenly flashed upon me that all animals are necessarily thus kept down--"the struggle for existence"--while _variations_, on which I was always thinking, must necessarily often be _beneficial_, and would then cause those varieties to increase while the injurious variations diminished.[151] You are quite at liberty to mention the circ.u.mstances, but I think you have coloured them a little highly, and introduced some slight errors. I was lying on my bed (no hammocks in the East) in the hot fit of intermittent fever, when the idea suddenly came to me. I thought it almost all out before the fit was over, and the moment I got up began to write it down, and I believe finished the first draft the next day.

I had no idea whatever of "dying,"--as it was not a serious illness,--but I _had_ the idea of working it out, so far as I was able, when I returned home, not at all expecting that Darwin had so long antic.i.p.ated me. I can truly say _now_, as I said many years ago, that I am glad it was so; for I have not the love of _work_, _experiment_ and _detail_ that was so pre-eminent in Darwin, and without which anything I could have written would never have convinced the world. If you do refer to me at any length, can you send me a proof and I will return it to you at once?

Yours faithfully ALFRED R. WALLACE.

_C. D. to J. D. Hooker._ Miss Wedgwood's, Hartfield, Tunbridge Wells [July 13th, 1858].

MY DEAR HOOKER--Your letter to Wallace seems to me perfect, quite clear and most courteous. I do not think it could possibly be improved, and I have to-day forwarded it with a letter of my own. I always thought it very possible that I might be forestalled, but I fancied that I had a grand enough soul not to care; but I found myself mistaken, and punished; I had, however, quite resigned myself, and had written half a letter to Wallace to give up all priority to him, and should certainly not have changed had it not been for Lyell's and your quite extraordinary kindness. I a.s.sure you I feel it, and shall not forget it.

I am _more_ than satisfied at what took place at the Linnean Society. I had thought that your letter and mine to Asa Gray were to be only an appendix to Wallace's paper.

We go from here in a few days to the sea-side, probably to the Isle of Wight, and on my return (after a battle with pigeon skeletons) I will set to work at the abstract, though how on earth I shall make anything of an abstract in thirty pages of the Journal, I know not, but will try my best....

I must try and see you before your journey; but do not think I am fishing to ask you to come to Down, for you will have no time for that.

You cannot imagine how pleased I am that the notion of Natural Selection has acted as a purgative on your bowels of immutability. Whenever naturalists can look at species changing as certain, what a magnificent field will be open,--on all the laws of variation,--on the genealogy of all living beings,--on their lines of migration, &c. &c. Pray thank Mrs.

Hooker for her very kind little note, and pray say how truly obliged I am, and in truth ashamed to think that she should have had the trouble of copying my ugly MS. It was extraordinarily kind in her. Farewell, my dear kind friend.

Yours affectionately.

P.S.--I have had some fun here in watching a slave-making ant; for I could not help rather doubting the wonderful stories, but I have now seen a defeated marauding party, and I have seen a migration from one nest to another of the slave-makers, carrying their slaves (who are _house_, and not field n.i.g.g.e.rs) in their mouths!

_C. D. to C. Lyell._ King's Head Hotel, Sandown, Isle of Wight. July 18th [1858].

... We are established here for ten days, and then go on to Shanklin, which seems more amusing to one, like myself, who cannot walk. We hope much that the sea may do H. and L. good. And if it does, our expedition will answer, but not otherwise.

I have never half thanked you for all the extraordinary trouble and kindness you showed me about Wallace's affair. Hooker told me what was done at the Linnean Society, and I am far more than satisfied, and I do not think that Wallace can think my conduct unfair in allowing you and Hooker to do whatever you thought fair. I certainly was a little annoyed to lose all priority, but had resigned myself to my fate. I am going to prepare a longer abstract; but it is really impossible to do justice to the subject, except by giving the facts on which each conclusion is grounded, and that will, of course, be absolutely impossible. Your name and Hooker's name appearing as in any way the least interested in my work will, I am certain, have the most important bearing in leading people to consider the subject without prejudice. I look at this as so very important, that I am almost glad of Wallace's paper for having led to this.

My dear Lyell, yours most gratefully.

The following letter refers to the proof-sheets of the Linnean paper.

The 'introduction' means the prefatory letter signed by Sir C. Lyell and Sir J. D. Hooker.

_C. D. to J. D. Hooker._ King's Head Hotel, Sandown, Isle of Wight.

July 21st [1858].

MY DEAR HOOKER--I received only yesterday the proof-sheets, which I now return. I think your introduction cannot be improved.

I am disgusted with my bad writing. I could not improve it, without rewriting all, which would not be fair or worth while, as I have begun on a better abstract for the Linnean Society. My excuse is that it _never_ was intended for publication. I have made only a few corrections in the style; but I cannot make it decent, but I hope moderately intelligible. I suppose some one will correct the revise. (Shall I?)

Could I have a clean proof to send to Wallace?

I have not yet fully considered your remarks on big genera (but your general concurrence is of the _highest possible_ interest to me); nor shall I be able till I re-read my MS.; but you may rely on it that you never make a remark to me which is lost from _inattention_. I am particularly glad you do not object to my stating your objections in a modified form, for they always struck me as very important, and as having much inherent value, whether or no they were fatal to my notions.

I will consider and reconsider all your remarks....

I am very glad at what you say about my Abstract, but you may rely on it that I will condense to the utmost. I would aid in money if it is too long.[152] In how many ways you have aided me!

Yours affectionately.

The "Abstract" mentioned in the last sentence of the preceding letter was in fact the _Origin of Species_, on which he now set to work. In his _Autobiography_ (p. 41) he speaks of beginning to write in September, but in his Diary he wrote, "July 20 to Aug. 12, at Sandown, began Abstract of Species book." "Sep. 16, Recommenced Abstract." The book was begun with the idea that it would be published as a paper, or series of papers, by the Linnean Society, and it was only in the late autumn that it became clear that it must take the form of an independent volume.

_C. D. to J. D. Hooker._ Norfolk House, Shanklin, Isle of Wight.

[August 1858.]

MY DEAR HOOKER,--I write merely to say that the MS. came safely two or three days ago. I am much obliged for the correction of style: I find it unutterably difficult to write clearly. When we meet I must talk over a few points on the subject.

You speak of going to the sea-side somewhere; we think this the nicest sea-side place which we have ever seen, and we like Shanklin better than other spots on the south coast of the island, though many are charming and prettier, so that I would suggest your thinking of this place. We are on the actual coast; but tastes differ so much about places.

If you go to Broadstairs, when there is a strong wind from the coast of France and in fine, dry, warm weather, look out and you will _probably_ (!) see thistle-seeds blown across the Channel. The other day I saw one blown right inland, and then in a few minutes a second one and then a third; and I said to myself, G.o.d bless me, how many thistles there must be in France; and I wrote a letter in imagination to you. But I then looked at the _low_ clouds, and noticed that they were not coming inland, so I feared a screw was loose, I then walked beyond a headland and found the wind parallel to the coast, and on this very headland a n.o.ble bed of thistles, which by every wide eddy were blown far out to sea, and then came right in at right angles to the sh.o.r.e! One day such a number of insects were washed up by the tide, and I brought to life thirteen species of Coleoptera; not that I suppose these came from France. But do you watch for thistle-seed as you saunter along the coast....

_C. D. to J. D. Hooker._ [Down] Oct. 6th, 1858.

... If you have or can make leisure, I should very much like to hear news of Mrs. Hooker, yourself, and the children. Where did you go, and what did you do and are doing? There is a comprehensive text.

You cannot tell how I enjoyed your little visit here. It did me much good. If Harvey[153] is still with you, pray remember me very kindly to him.

... I am working most steadily at my Abstract [_Origin of Species_], but it grows to an inordinate length; yet fully to make my view clear (and never giving briefly more than a fact or two, and slurring over difficulties), I cannot make it shorter. It will yet take me three or four months; so slow do I work, though never idle. You cannot imagine what a service you have done me in making me make this Abstract; for though I thought I had got all clear, it has clarified my brains very much, by making me weigh the relative importance of the several elements.

He was not so fully occupied but that he could find time to help his boys in their collecting. He sent a short notice to the _Entomologists'

Weekly Intelligencer_, June 25th, 1859, recording the capture of _Licinus silphoides_, _Clytus mysticus_, _Panagaeus 4-pustulatus_. The notice begins with the words, "We three very young collectors having lately taken in the parish of Down," &c., and is signed by three of his boys, but was clearly not written by them. I have a vivid recollection of the pleasure of turning out my bottle of dead beetles for my father to name, and the excitement, in which he fully shared, when any of them proved to be uncommon ones. The following letter to Mr. Fox (Nov. 13th, 1858), ill.u.s.trates this point:--

"I am reminded of old days by my third boy having just begun collecting beetles, and he caught the other day _Brachinus crepitans_, of immortal Whittlesea Mere memory. My blood boiled with old ardour when he caught a Licinus--a prize unknown to me."

And again to Sir John Lubbock:--

"I feel like an old war-horse at the sound of the trumpet when I read about the capturing of rare beetles--is not this a magnanimous simile for a decayed entomologist?--It really almost makes me long to begin collecting again. Adios.

"'Floreat Entomologia'!--to which toast at Cambridge I have drunk many a gla.s.s of wine. So again, 'Floreat Entomologia.'--N.B. I have _not_ now been drinking any gla.s.ses full of wine."

_C D. to J. D. Hooker._ Down, Jan. 23rd, 1859.

... I enclose letters to you and me from Wallace. I admire extremely the spirit in which they are written. I never felt very sure what he would say. He must be an amiable man. Please return that to me, and Lyell ought to be told how well satisfied he is. These letters have vividly brought before me how much I owe to your and Lyell's most kind and generous conduct in all this affair.

... How glad I shall be when the Abstract is finished, and I can rest!...

_C. D. to A. B. Wallace._ Down, Jan. 25th [1859].

MY DEAR SIR,--I was extremely much pleased at receiving three days ago your letter to me and that to Dr. Hooker. Permit me to say how heartily I admire the spirit in which they are written. Though I had absolutely nothing whatever to do in leading Lyell and Hooker to what they thought a fair course of action, yet I naturally could not but feel anxious to hear what your impression would be. I owe indirectly much to you and them; for I almost think that Lyell would have proved right, and I should never have completed my larger work, for I have found my Abstract [_Origin of Species_] hard enough with my poor health, but now, thank G.o.d, I am in my last chapter but one. My Abstract will make a small volume of 400 or 500 pages. Whenever published, I will, of course, send you a copy, and then you will see what I mean about the part which I believe selection has played with domestic productions. It is a very different part, as you suppose, from that played by "Natural Selection."