The Correspondence of Charles Darwin: Volume 17, 1869

Throughout 1869 Darwin continued to collect data for The Descent of Man and Expression of the Emotions.

Charles Darwin (Author), Frederick Burkhardt (Edited by), James Secord (Edited by), The Editors of the Darwin Correspondence Project (Edited by)

9780521190305, Cambridge University Press

Hardback, published 9 July 2009

822 pages, 12 b/w illus.
24 x 16.6 x 4.5 cm, 1.24 kg

'These volumes are indeed treasures of high scholarship … every real science library needs this series.' Trends in Ecology and Evolution

'I have always maintained that, excepting fools, men did not differ much in intellect, only in zeal & hard work; and I still think there is an eminently important difference'. Throughout 1869, Darwin continued to collect data for his two most significant books after Origin: The Descent of Man and Expression of the Emotions. Explorers, diplomats, and missionaries all over the world were politely encouraged to investigate, for example, how emotions such as surprise, anger and shame were expressed in different cultures. As Darwin's research on human evolution neared completion, he learned that Alfred Russel Wallace, the co-discoverer of the theory, had begun to raise questions about its application to certain aspects of human development, attributing these to the action of a 'higher power'. In his correspondence, Wallace alluded to his belief in spiritualism, which he fully believed to be open to scientific investigation, but which gave Darwin much pause.

List of illustrations
Frederick Henry Burkhardt (1912–2007)
List of letters
Introduction
Acknowledgements
List of provenances
Note on editorial policy
Darwin/Wedgewood genealogy
Abbreviations and symbols
THE CORRESPONDENCE, 1869
Appendices
Bibliography
Index.

Subject Areas: Evolution [PSAJ], Biology, life sciences [PS], History of science [PDX]