Charles darwins autobiography
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I tried once or twice to explain to able men what I meant by Natural Selection, but signally failed.
There seems to be a sort of fatality in my mind leading me to put at first my statement or proposition in a wrong or awkward form.
During the early part of our life in London, I was strong enough to go into general society, and saw a good deal of several scientific men, and other more or less distinguished men.
On the other hand, novels which are works of the imagination, though not of a very high order, have been for years a wonderful relief and pleasure to me, and I often bless all novelists. Information about Donations to the Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation
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I had always been much struck by such adaptations, and until these could be explained it seemed to me almost useless to endeavour to prove by indirect evidence that species have been modified. Lastly, Dr. Grant, my senior by several years, but how I became acquainted with him I cannot remember; he published some first-rate zoological papers, but after coming to London as Professor in University College, he did nothing more in science, a fact which has always been inexplicable to me.
Before beginning on any subject I look to all the short indexes and make a general and classified index, and by taking the one or more proper portfolios I have all the information collected during my life ready for use.
FROM MY RETURN TO ENGLAND (OCTOBER 2, 1836) TO MY MARRIAGE (JANUARY 29, 1839.)
These two years and three months were the most active ones which I ever spent, though I was occasionally unwell, and so lost some time.
Another of my occupations was collecting animals of all classes, briefly describing and roughly dissecting many of the marine ones; but from not being able to draw, and from not having sufficient anatomical knowledge, a great pile of MS. which I made during the voyage has proved almost useless. Life there was perfectly free; the country was very pleasant for walking or riding; and in the evening there was much very agreeable conversation, not so personal as it generally is in large family parties, together with music.
His knowledge was extraordinarily great, and much died with him, owing to his excessive fear of ever making a mistake. This my wicked friends had perceived.
1.F.5. It appears (“St.
This leads me to remark that I have almost always been treated honestly by my reviewers, passing over those without scientific knowledge as not worthy of notice.
It probably lay all the heavier from my love of dogs being then, and for a long time afterwards, a passion. I saw him, also, on a few other occasions. Copyright.
The powerful effects of Lyell’s works could formerly be plainly seen in the different progress of the science in France and England.
1.F.1.