Mind the gap: Did Darwin avoid publishing his theory for many years?

Notes and Records of the Royal Society

Volumn 61, Issue 2, 2007, Pages 177-205

  Van Wyhe, John ^a  

^a CHRIST S COLLEGE   (United Kingdom)

Author keywords

'Darwin's delay'; Charles Darwin; Evolution; Historiography

Indexed keywords

EID: 34249015973     PISSN: 00359149     EISSN: 17430178     Source Type: Journal    
DOI: 10.1098/rsnr.2006.0171     Document Type: Review

References (216)

1. E. Mayr, The growth of biological thought (Belknap Press, 1982), p. 420.
2. A. Desmond, Foreword to D. Ospovat, The development of Darwin's theory (Cambridge University Press, 1994), p. xi.
3. M. Ruse, The Darwinian revolution (University of Chicago Press, 1979);
4. Mayr, op. cit. (note 1).
5. F. J. Sulloway, 'Darwin and his finches: the evolution of a legend', J. Hist. Biol. 15(1), 1-53 (1982);
6. Sulloway, The Beagle collections of Darwin's finches', Bull. Br. Mus. Nat. Hist. Zoo. 43, 49-94 (1982).
7. See, for example, Charles Darwin. Memorial notices, reprinted from Nature (Macmillan & Co., London, 1882);
8. W. B. Carpenter, 'Charles Darwin: his life and work', Mod. Rev. 3, 500-524 (1882);
9. 'Charles Darwin', The Times, 21 April 1882;
10. [G. W. Bacon], The life of Charles Darwin (G. W. Bacon & Co., London, [ca. 1883]);
11. L. C. Miall, The life and work of Charles Darwin (Jackson, Leeds, 1883);
12. A. R. Wallace, 'The debt of science to Darwin', Century Mag. 25, 420-432 (1883);
13. L. C. Miall, History of biology (Watts & Co., London, 1911);
14. E. Woodall, Charles Darwin (Trübner, London, 1884);
15. J. T. Cunningham, Charles Darwin, naturalist (William Brown, Edinburgh, 1886);
16. G. Allen, Charles Darwin (Longmans, London, 1886);
17. G. T. Bettany, Life of Charles Darwin (Walter Scott, London, 1887);
18. E. Aveling, Darwin made easy (Progressive Publishing, London, 1887);
19. F. Darwin, 'Charles Robert Darwin (1809-1882)', Dictionary of National Biography 14, 72-84 (1888);
20. T. H. Huxley, 'Obituary notices of fellows deceased. Charles Robert Darwin', Proc. R. Soc. 44, i-xxiv (1888);
21. H. F. Osborn, From the Greeks to Darwin (Macmillan & Co., New York, 1894);
22. E. A. Parkyn, Darwin: his work and influence (Methuen, London, 1894);
23. A. R. Wallace, 'The dawn of a great discovery: "My relations with Darwin in reference to the theory of natural selection'", Black and White 25, 78-79 (1903);
24. E. Williams, A history of science (5 volumes) (Harper, New York, 1904);
25. A. R. Wallace, 'A man of the time: Dr. Alfred Russel Wallace and his coming autobiography', Book Monthly, May, 545-548 (1905);
26. A. R. Wallace, 'The centenary of Darwin', Clarion, no. 897, 5 (1909);
27. A. R. Wallace, 'Acceptance speech on receiving the Darwin-Wallace Medal', The Darwin-Wallace Celebration, pp. 5-11 (1909);
28. A. C. Seward, Darwin and modern science (Cambridge University Press, 1909);
29. E. Poulton (ed.), Fifty years of Darwinism (Holt, New York, 1909);
30. J. W. Judd, The coming of evolution (Cambridge University Press, 1910);
31. J. Marchant, Alfred Russel Wallace (2 volumes) (Cassell, London, 1916);
32. E. Rádl, The history of biological theories (Oxford University Press, 1930).
33. See F. Darwin (ed.), The life and letters of Charles Darwin (3 volumes) (Murray, London, 1887);
34. F. Darwin and A. C. Seward (eds) More letters of Charles Darwin (2 volumes) (Murray, London, 1903);
35. F. Darwin, 'Charles Robert Darwin' [1888] in Dictionary of National Biography. According to the account given here, avoiding publication is unimaginable.
36. See also F. Darwin (ed.), Charles Darwin (Murray, London, 1892).
37. N. Barlow, Charles Darwin 's diary of the voyage of H.M.S. 'Beagle' (Cambridge University Press, 1933);
38. N. Barlow, Charles Darwin and the voyage of the Beagle (Pilot Press, London, 1945).
39. R. E. D. Clark, Darwin: before and after: the story of evolution (Paternoster Press, London, 1948), pp. 56 and 57. I am grateful to James Moore for bringing this source to my attention and lending me a copy.
40. A. F. Shull, Evolution (McGraw-Hill, London, 1951).
41. J. Huxley et al. (eds) A book that shook the world (University of Pittsburgh Press, 1958), p. vi.
42. C. C. Gillispie, The edge of objectivity (Princeton University Press, 1960), p. 312.
43. G. de Beer, M. J. Rowlands and B. M. Skramovsky (eds), 'Darwin's notebooks on transmutation of species', Bull. Br. Mus. Nat. Hist. (Hist. Ser.), 2(2), 23-73 (1960);
44. ibid., 2(3), 75-118 (1960);
45. ibid., 2(4), 119-150 (1960);
46. ibid., 2(5), 151-183 (1960);
47. ibid., 2(6), 185-200;
48. ibid., 3(5), 129-176 (1967).
49. P. J. Vorzimmer, 'Darwin's questions about the breeding of animals (1839)', J. Hist. Biol. 2, 269-281 (1969).
50. See also Vorzimmer, Charles Darwin-the years of controversy (University of London Press, 1972), p. 4.
51. M. T. Ghiselin, The triumph of the Darwinian method (University of California Press, Berkeley, 1969), pp. 47-48.
52. H. Gruber, Darwin on man: a psychological study of scientific creativity (Wildwood, London, 1974).
53. Gruber, op. cit. (note 15), pp. xiv and 44.
54. L. Eisley, Darwin and the mysterious Mr X (Dent, London, 1979);
55. J. Moore, The post-Darwinian controversies (Cambridge University Press, 1979);
56. J. T. Bonner, 'Introduction' to Darwin, The descent of man (Princeton University Press, 1981);
57. Mayr, op. cit. (note 1); M. J. S. Rudwick, The meaning of fossils, 2nd edn (University of Chicago Press, 1985);
58. G. Hardin, 'Cultural carrying capacity', Focus 2, n.p. (1992);
59. A. Desmond and J. Moore, Darwin (Penguin, London, 1992).
60. Gruber, op. cit. (note 15), pp. 4 and 43.
61. See P. H. Barrett et al. (eds), Charles Darwin's notebooks, 1836-1844 (British Museum (Natural History), Cambridge and New York; Cornell University Press, 1987), Notebook M143.
62. Barrett et al., op. cit. (note 18), p. 556.
63. S. Schweber, 'The origin of the Origin revisited', J. Hist. Biol. 10(2), 229-316 (1977).
64. S. J. Gould, Ever since Darwin (Penguin, London, 1977), pp. 21-27.
65. Gould, op. cit. (note 21), p. 23.
66. R. Colp, To be an invalid: the illness of Charles Darwin (University of Chicago Press, 1977), p. 17.
67. S. Herbert, 'The place of man in the development of Darwin's theory of transmutation, part II', J. Hist. Biol 70, 155-227 (1977), at p. 190.
68. See also M. J. S. Rudwick, 'Charles Darwin in London: the integration of public and private science', Isis 73, 186-206 (1982), at p. 196.
69. See, for example, Ruse, op. cit. (note 3), p. 184;
70. Richards, 'Why Darwin delayed, or interesting problems and models in the history of science', J. Hist. Behav. Sci. 19, 45-53 (1983);
71. F, Darwin (ed., 1887), op. cit. (note 6), vol. 1, pp. 347-348.
72. N. Barlow (ed.), The autobiography of Charles Darwin, 1809-1882 (Collins, London, 1958), p. 118.
73. Richards, op. cit. (note 25), p. 46.
74. See also 'Darwin's delay', pp. 152-156
75. in Richards, Darwin and the emergence of evolutionary theories of mind and behavior (University of Chicago Press, 1987).
76. A. Desmond, The politics of evolution (University of Chicago Press, 1989), p. 408.
77. Desmond, op. cit. (note 28), pp. 411-412.
78. Desmond, op. cit. (note 28), p. 413.
79. A. Desmond and J. R. Moore, Darwin (Penguin, London, 1992), pp. 657-658.
80. Desmond and Moore, op. cit. (note 31), p. 307.
81. See also Desmond and Moore, 'Transgressing boundaries', J. Victorian Culture 3, 147-168 (1998).
82. They more recently summarized their views in the documentary Darwin: the life (BBC, 1998).
83. Desmond and Moore, op. cit. (note 31), p. 274.
84. See, for example, J. Gribbin and M. Gribbin, Darwin in 90 minutes (Constable, London, 1997);
85. G. Hands, Darwin: a beginner's guide (Hodder, London, 2001);
86. Evolution: Darwin's dangerous idea (Public Broadcasting Service, 2001);
87. G. Cantor and S. Shuttleworth (eds), Science serialized (MIT Press, 2004).
88. C. Gormlie (director), Genius: Charles Darwin - his life, journeys and discoveries (Cromwell Productions, 1999).
89. Desmond and Moore, op. cit. (note 31), pp. 262-263.
90. See also R. Colp, 'Charles Darwin's dream of his double execution', J. Psychohist. 13, 277-292 (1986).
91. C. Darwin to J. Scott, 6 June 1863. F. Burkhardt et al. (eds), The correspondence of Charles Darwin (Cambridge University Press, 1985-), vol. 11, p. 482,
92. cited in P. Brent, Charles Darwin (Norton, London, 1981), p. 467. (Hereafter references to the Correspondence are given as CCD, with volume and page numbers separated by a colon.)
93. To G. Darwin, 21 Oct. 1873, DAR 210.1.1; cited in Desmond and Moore, op. cit. (note 31), p. 603. (All DAR numbers refer to the Darwin MSS, Cambridge University Library.)
94. C. Darwin, 'Observations on the Parallel Roads of Glen Roy...', Phil. Trans. R. Soc. 24, 39-81 (1839).
95. [Chambers, R.] Vestiges of the natural history of creation (John Churchill, London, 1844).
96. See for example Clark, op. cit. (note 8);
97. R. C. Stauffer, On the origin of species, an unpublished version (Macmillan, New York, 1959);
98. R. Olby, Charles Darwin (Oxford University Press, 1967);
99. J. W. Burrow, 'Editor's introduction' in C. Darwin, Origin of species (Penguin, Baltimore, MD, 1968);
100. Ruse, op. cit. (note 3);
101. D. Young, The discovery of evolution (Cambridge University Press, 1992).
102. On the reception of Vestiges, see J. Secord, Victorian sensation (Chicago University Press, 2000).
103. I am grateful to James Secord (personal communication) for confirming this conclusion.
104. To C. Lyell, 8 Oct. [1845] CCD 3:258. [A, Sedgwick], 'Natural history of creation', Edinb. Rev. 82 (July), 1-85 (1845).
105. See for example DAR 205.5.108 - transcribed in CCD 3:109. Darwin's copy of the sixth edition of Vestiges (1847) is in the Darwin Library at The Cambridge University Library. His annotations are transcribed in M. Di Gregorio with N. Gill, Charles Darwin 's marginalia (Garland, London, 1990), vol. 1, pp. 163-265.
106. W. F. Cannon, "The Whewell - Darwin controversy', J. Geol. Soc. 132, 377-384 (1976), p. 383.
107. J. Carroll, 'Introduction', in C. Darwin, On the origin of species (Broadview Press, Peterborough, ON, 2003), at p. 46.
108. J. Browne, Charles Darwin (Jonathan Cape, London, 2002), p. 16;
109. and especially J. Browne, Charles Darwin: voyaging (Pimlico, London, 1995), p. 453.
110. Brent, op. cit. (note 37);
111. D. Ospovat, The development of Darwin 's theory: natural history, natural theology, and natural selection, 1838-1859 (Cambridge University Press, 1981);
112. B. Gale, Evolution without evidence (Harvester, Brighton, 1982);
113. J. Browne, The secular ark (Yale University Press, 1983);
114. P. Bowler, Evolution: history of an idea (University of California Press, 1984);
115. F. Smith, 'Charles Darwin's ill health', J. Hist. Biol. 23, 443-459 (1990);
116. R. Wright, The moral animal (Pantheon, New York, 1994);
117. D. Kohn, 'The aesthetic construction of Darwin's theory', in Elusive synthesis (ed. A, I. Tauber), pp. 13-48 (Kluwer, Dordrecht, 1996);
118. H. S. Jensen et al. (eds) Evolution of scientific knowledge (Elgar, Northampton, MA, 2003).
119. J. C. Greene, The death of Adam (Iowa State University Press, 1959);
120. G. de Beer, Charles Darwin (Nelson, London, 1963);
121. R. S. Hopkins, Darwin's South America (John Day, New York, 1969);
122. L. Eisley, Darwin and the mysterious Mr X (Dent, London, 1979);
123. J. R. Durant, "The ascent of Nature in Darwin's Descent of Man', in The Darwinian heritage (ed. D. Kohn) (Princeton University Press, 1985);
124. J. Bowlby, Charles Darwin (Norton, London, 1990);
125. M. Ruse, The evolution wars (ABC-CLIO, Inc., 2000);
126. J. van Wyhe, The writings of Charles Darwin on the web (http://pages.britishlibrary.net/charles.darwin, 2002);
127. R. Stott, Darwin and the barnacle (Faber, London, 2003);
128. D. Quammen, The reluctant Mr. Darwin (Norton, London, 2006).
129. Desmond and Moore, op. cit. (note 31), pp. xvi and 239.
130. Desmond and Moore, op. cit. (note 31), pp. xv, xvi, 236, 273, 228, 231, 232 and 657.
131. Desmond and Moore, op. cit. (note 31), p. 292.
132. This interpretation is repeated in A. Desmond and J. R. Moore, Introduction to C. Darwin, Descent of man (Penguin, London, 2004)
133. and A. Desmond, J. Browne and J. R. Moore, 'Darwin, Charles Robert (1809-1882)', Oxford Dictionary of National Biography (Oxford University Press, 2004).
134. CCD 2:xvi.
135. Correspondence references: to G. R. Waterhouse [26 July 1843], CCD 2:375-376;
136. to J. D. Hooker [11 Jan. 1844], CCD 3:1-3;
137. to L. Jenyns 12 Oct. [1844], CCD 3:67-68;
138. to E. Dieffenbach 6 Apr. [1846], CCD 3:310;
139. to E. Dieffenbach 9 Feb. [1847] CCD 4:12-13;
140. to E. Cresy [May 1848], CCD 4:135-136;
141. to A. Gray 20 July [1857], CCD 6:431-433;
142. to A. Gray 5 Sept. [1857], CCD 6:445-449 (this letter also mentions Falconer's criticism of Darwin's views in conversation);
143. to E. L. Layard 9 Dec. 1855, CCD 5:524-525;
144. to J. D. Dana 14 July [1856], CCD 6:180-181;
145. to C. A. Murray 24 Dec. 1855, CCD 5:530-531;
146. Wollaston CCD 6:91. There are further discussions of transmutation in CCD 2-7;
147. see the introduction to CCD 3. Manuscript notes indicating conversation on transmutation, with date if known: Strickland, DAR 205.9.149;
148. Falconer 20 Mar. 1844, DAR 209.5.187;
149. Apr. 1844, DAR 205.9.187;
150. Falconer and Waterhouse, DAR 205.5.114 June 1845;
151. Waterhouse, TAN55;
152. H. Wedgwood E144;
153. TAN51 and DAR 205.5.60;
154. DAR 205.5.60 (Apr. 1843);
155. E. Wedgwood E144;
156. June 1840, DAR 205.5.30;
157. Forbes, DAR 45.58 Dec. 1844 and possibly in DAR 205.9.185;
158. DAR 205.5.103 and DAR 205.5.53;
159. Lonsdale and Bunbury Feb. 1842, DAR 205.9.146;
160. Lonsdale C175-177. See also Bunbury Diary entry for 23 Nov. 1845, recording a lunch with Darwin at the Horner's, in C. J. F. Bunbury, Middle life, vol. 1, p. 77 (1890-91);
161. CCD 3:xiv, 237 n. 5.
162. Herbert, see Darwin to Hooker 28 Oct. [1845], CCD 3:261;
163. Yarrell, Notebook C120 passim;
164. Cuming 7 Feb. 1845, DAR 205.10.63;
165. Lubbock 28 Nov. 1855, DAR 205.3.174.
166. CCD 3:xiv.
167. See Darwin to Hooker [10 Sept. 1845], CCD 3:252-253,
168. quoted below. Nevertheless Darwin did tell Sedgwick that he believed the fossil record revealed a succession of types: '(Long before Owen published I had in M. S. worked out the succession of types in Old World.-) as I remember telling Sedgwick, who of course disbelieved it.)' To C. Lyell 27 [Dec. 1859], CCD 7:456.
169. To Hooker [11 Jan. 1844], CCD 3:2.
170. DAR 113. See S. Smith, 'Historical preface' in Barren et al., op. cit. (note 18), p.1.
171. On Norman see CCD 7:507.
172. Barlow, op. cit. (note 26), p. 81.
173. Secord, op. cit. (note 40).
174. [24 Apr. 1845], CCD 3:181.
175. C. Darwin, Expression of the emotions (Murray, London, 1872), p. 424.
176. Barlow, op. cit. (note 26), p. 123.
177. Barrett et al., op. cit. (note 18), C177.
178. See Hooker to Gray 21 Oct. 1858, quoted in Browne, Charles Darwin, op. cit. (note 46), p. 50.
179. Herbert and Kohn refer to them as 'Private notebooks' in Introduction to Barrett et al., op. cit. (note 18), p. 12. See also p. 517.
180. DAR 205.9.116 n.d. See also Barrett et al., op. cit. (note 18), E137;
181. C. Darwin, On the origin of species (Murray, London, 1859), p. 280.
182. Barrett et al., op. cit. (note 18), C175.
183. Barrett et al., op. cit. (note 18), C202; N19e; C123.
184. I am grateful to David Kohn for this estimate of the length of the notebooks.
185. See, for example, Darwin to Hooker [2 Oct. 1846], CCD 3:346.
186. Barlow, op. cit. (note 26), p. 124.
187. Barlow, op. cit. (note 26), pp. 126-127;
188. p. 132 referring to C. Darwin, The variation of animals and plants under domestication (2 volumes) (Murray, London, 1868)
189. and C. Darwin, Insectivorous plants (Murray, London, 1875).
190. See S. Herbert, 'Charles Darwin as a prospective geological author', Br. J. Hist. Sci. 24, 159-192 (1991), at p. 159.
191. To G. J. Romanes 5 Feb. 1880, in Darwin and Seward, op. cit. (note 6), vol. 2, p. 51.
192. C. Darwin, 'A biographical sketch of an infant', Mind (July), 285-294 (1877).
193. Darwin, Variation, op. cit. (note 73).
194. C. Darwin, 'On the formation of mould', Trans. Geol. Soc. 5, pp. 505-509 (1840);
195. The formation of vegetable mould (London: Murray, 1881).
196. CCD 2:xiv.
197. To E. Wedgwood [27 Nov. 1838], CCD 2:129.
198. DAR 158 f12. C. Darwin (ed.), The zoology of the voyage of H.M.S. Beagle (5 volumes) (Smith, Elder and Co., London, 1838-43);
199. C. Darwin, The structure and distribution of coral reefs (Smith, Elder & Co., London, 1842);
200. C. Darwin, Geological observations on the volcanic islands (Smith Elder & Co., London, 1844).
201. DAR 158 f13.
202. DAR 158 f14.
203. ToS. Darwin [15 May 1838], CCD 2:87.
204. DAR 158 f15.
205. Barlow, op. cit. (note 26), p. 120.
206. T. Malthus, Essay on the principle of population (Murray, London, 1826).
207. Browne, Voyaging, op. cit. (note 46), p. 385.
208. DAR 158 f17.
209. To W. D. Fox [15 June 1838], CCD 2:92. See also letter to C. Lyell [14] Sept. [1838], CCD 2:107.
210. Barlow, op. cit. (note 26), p. 99.
211. J. Browne, personal communication.
212. To W. D. Fox [25 Jan. 1841], CCD 2:279.
213. Barlow, op. cit. (note 26), p. 120.
214. This view is shared by Smith, op. cit. (note 47). On how unfinished Darwin's notebook speculations end ca. July 1839
215. see Kohn, 'Introduction to Notebook E' in Barrett et al., op. cit. (note 18), p. 396.
216. To E. Dieffenbach, 4 July [1843], CCD 7:476-478. Darwin enclosed a questionnaire concerning differences between races or varieties and species, 'as "Species" is a subject, which I intend sometime to publish on.' Darwin, Journal of researches (Henry Colburn, London, 1839).