Book details
Life and Letters of Charles Darwin — Volume 1
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Stored record
Metadata
- Gutenberg ID
- 2087
- Title
- Life and Letters of Charles Darwin — Volume 1
- Language
- en
- Book source
- Project Gutenberg
- Description max 80 words
-
Edited by his son Francis Darwin, this volume chronicles the life and intellectual journey of Charles Darwin, from his early family history and Cambridge days to his groundbreaking work on evolution. Through a collection of letters and autobiographical chapters, it offers an intimate portrait of a man dedicated to scientific inquiry, grappling with profound questions about nature, species, and faith.
- Summary up to 500 words
-
Compiled by Francis Darwin, 'Life and Letters of Charles Darwin' Volume I offers a comprehensive biography and primary source collection detailing the development of evolutionary theory. The volume traces the Darwin family's history in Lincolnshire, from their origins as yeomen to the era of Erasmus Darwin, the poet and philosopher. It chronicles Charles Darwin's education at Cambridge, his appointment aboard the HMS Beagle, and the transformative voyage that revolutionized biological understanding. A significant portion of the text is dedicated to the arduous process of formulating the theory of natural selection, illustrated through his extensive correspondence with contemporaries such as Joseph Hooker and Asa Gray. Darwin meticulously details his observations on variation, the struggle for existence, and the geographical distribution of species. The narrative addresses his intense personal and intellectual struggles regarding religious beliefs, as well as the fierce public controversy surrounding the publication of 'On the Origin of Species.' Through letters, diaries, and reminiscences, the book reveals the solitary nature of his work, his humility in the face of scientific uncertainty, and the profound impact of his ideas on the understanding of life's history. The volume serves as both a biography and a primary source for understanding the development of evolutionary theory, demonstrating how Darwin's work reconciled teleology and morphology while challenging the conception of creation.
- LLM editorial rating
- 4.2/5
- Download URL
- https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/2087.epub.noimages
- Local file path
-
data/epubs/pg2087.epub - Downloaded at
- 2026-06-30 08:38 UTC
People
Authors
- Charles Darwin
Classification
Categories
- Biography
- Science