VOLUME I

PREFACE

In choosing letters for publication I have been largely guided by the

wish to illustrate my father's personal character. But his life was so

essentially one of work, that a history of the man could not be written

without following closely the career of the author. Thus it comes

about that the chief part of the book falls into chapters whose titles

correspond to the names of his books.

In arranging the letters I have adhered as far as possible to

chronological sequence, but the character and variety of his researches

make a strictly chronological order an impossibility. It was his habit

to work more or less simultaneously at several subjects. Experimental

work was often carried on as a refreshment or variety, while books

entailing reasoning and the marshalling of large bodies of facts were

being written. Moreover, many of his researches were allowed to

drop, and only resumed after an interval of years. Thus a rigidly

chronological series of letters would present a patchwork of subjects,

each of which would be difficult to follow. The Table of Contents will

show in what way I have attempted to avoid this result.

In printing the letters I have followed (except in a few cases) the

usual plan of indicating the existence of omissions or insertions. My

father's letters give frequent evidence of having been written when he

was tired or hurried, and they bear the marks of this circumstance. In

writing to a friend, or to one of his family, he frequently omitted the

articles: these have been inserted without the usual indications, except

in a few instances, where it is of special interest to preserve intact

the hurried character of the letter. Other small words, such as "of",

"to", etc., have been inserted usually within brackets. I have not

followed the originals as regards the spelling of names, the use of

capitals, or in the matter of punctuation. My father underlined many

words in his letters; these have not always been given in italics,--a

rendering which would unfairly exaggerate their effect.

The Diary or Pocket-book, from which quotations occur in the following

pages, has been of value as supplying a frame-work of facts round which

letters may be grouped. It is unfortunately written with great brevity,

the history of a year being compressed into a page or less; and contains

little more than the dates of the principal events of his life, together

with entries as to his work, and as to the duration of his more serious

illnesses. He rarely dated his letters, so that but for the Diary it

would have been all but impossible to unravel the history of his books.

It has also enabled me to assign dates to many letters which would

otherwise have been shorn of half their value.

Of letters addressed to my father I have not made much use. It was his

custom to file all letters received, and when his slender stock of files

("spits" as he called them) was exhausted, he would burn the letters of

several years, in order that he might make use of the liberated "spits."

This process, carried on for years, destroyed nearly all letters

received before 1862. After that date he was persuaded to keep the more

interesting letters, and these are preserved in an accessible form.

I have attempted to give, in Chapter III., some account of his manner

of working. During the last eight years of his life I acted as his

assistant, and thus had an opportunity of knowing something of his

habits and methods.

I have received much help from my friends in the course of my work.

To some I am indebted for reminiscences of my father, to others for

information, criticisms, and advice. To all these kind coadjutors

I gladly acknowledge my indebtedness. The names of some occur in

connection with their contributions, but I do not name those to whom I

am indebted for criticisms or corrections, because I should wish to bear

alone the load of my short-comings, rather than to let any of it fall on

those who have done their best to lighten it.

It will be seen how largely I am indebted to Sir Joseph Hooker for the

means of illustrating my father's life. The readers of these pages

will, I think, be grateful to Sir Joseph for the care with which he has

preserved his valuable collection of letters, and I should wish to add

my acknowledgment of the generosity with which he has placed it at my

disposal, and for the kindly encouragement given throughout my work.

To Mr. Huxley I owe a debt of thanks, not only for much kind help, but

for his willing compliance with my request that he should contribute a

chapter on the reception of the 'Origin of Species.'

Finally, it is a pleasure to acknowledge the courtesy of the publishers

of the 'Century Magazine' who have freely given me the use of their

illustrations. To Messrs. Maull and Fox and Messrs. Elliott and Fry I am

also indebted for their kindness in allowing me the use of reproductions

of their photographs.

FRANCIS DARWIN.

Cambridge, October, 1887.

TABLE OF CONTENTS.