The Life and Letters of Charles Darwin, Volume 3 Including an Autobiographical Chapter

About this book

A reprint of a classical work in the Cambridge Library Collection.

This book, the third of three-volumes detailing the life of Charles Darwin, published five years after his death, was edited by his son Francis, who was his father's collaborator in experiments in botany and who after his death took on the responsibility of overseeing the publication of his remaining manuscript works and letters. In the preface to the first volume, Francis Darwin explains his editorial principles: '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.' Among the family history, anecdotes and reminiscences of scientific colleagues is a short autobiographical essay which Charles Darwin wrote for his children and grandchildren, rather than for publication. This account of Darwin the man has never been bettered.

Contents

1. The spread of evolution 'Variation of Animals and Plants' 1863–1866
2. The publication of the 'Variation of Animals and Plants under Domestication' January 1867–June 1868
3. Work on 'Man' 1864–1870
4. The publication of the 'Descent of Man', the 'Expression of the Emotions' 1871–1873
5. Miscellanea, including second editions of 'Coral Reefs', the 'Descent of Man' and the 'Variation of Animals and Plants' 1874–1875
6. Miscellaneous letters 1876–1882
7. Fertilisation on flowers 1839–1880
8. The 'Effects of Cross- and Self-Fertilisation in the Vegetable Kingdom' 1866–1877
9. 'Different Forms of Flowers on Plants of the Same Species' 1860–1878
10. Climbing and insectivorous plants 1863–1875
11. The 'Power of Movement in Plants' 1878–1881
12. Miscellaneous botanical letters 1873–1882
13. Conclusion

Appendices

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