Letter from C. Darwin [Charles Darwin] [to George Maw]

Title

Letter from C. Darwin [Charles Darwin] [to George Maw]

Record type

Archive

Original Reference

MAW/1/8

Date

3 Jul 1862

Scope & content

Written from Down, Bromley, Kent. Manuscript

He finds Maw’s criticisms [of ‘Origin of Species’] very interesting, and has included some in a new German edition; he thanks Maw for the Pelargonium leaves, which he considers a case of true correlation as the homologous parts, which are alike at an early stage of development, will be similarly affected by causes of variation; he warns that inheritance of features often seems like correlation; he thought that correlation was often accidental but Maw has led him to rethink, and he will look into it; he believes that all vertebrates descended from a hermaphrodite form and that male and female characteristics have developed through correlation, though he does not expect to understand how these changes have taken place; he discusses Maw’s case of coadapted structure before birth and how mammary glands could have developed; he has recently published a small book on orchids which would interest Maw and will send him a copy; he welcomes any criticism Maw has to offer on it

For photocopies of letters from George Maw to Charles Darwin written on 30 Jun and 7 Jul 1862 see MAW/Z1/1-13. Written from Down, Bromley, Kent. Manuscript

He finds Maw’s criticisms [of ‘Origin of Species’] very interesting, and has included some in a new German edition; he thanks Maw for the Pelargonium leaves, which he considers a case of true correlation as the homologous parts, which are alike at an early stage of development, will be similarly affected by causes of variation; he warns that inheritance of features often seems like correlation; he thought that correlation was often accidental but Maw has led him to rethink, and he will look into it; he believes that all vertebrates descended from a hermaphrodite form and that male and female characteristics have developed through correlation, though he does not expect to understand how these changes have taken place; he discusses Maw’s case of coadapted structure before birth and how mammary glands could have developed; he has recently published a small book on orchids which would interest Maw and will send him a copy; he welcomes any criticism Maw has to offer on it

For photocopies of letters from George Maw to Charles Darwin written on 30 Jun and 7 Jul 1862 see MAW/Z1/1-13

Level

Item

Extent

6 page letter (2 sheets)

Is part of

George Maw archive

Repository

Royal Horticultural Society Lindley Library

Copyright

The Darwin Family

Credit Line

The Darwin Family / RHS Lindley Collections

Usage terms

Non-commercial use with attribution permitted (CC BY-NC 4.0)