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Autobiographies
Autobiographies
Autobiographies
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Autobiographies

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Collected in this edition is the early autobiographical fragment written by Charles Darwin in 1838 along with his official autobiography which was first published in 1887, five years after his death. His controversial theory of evolution, which asserted that all of life on earth descended from common ancestors through a process of natural selection, subjected him to much criticism in his lifetime but would ultimately place him amongst the most important figures in the history of science. "Autobiographies" gives a personal insight into the life of Charles Darwin from his time at Cambridge University, to his landmark naturalist expedition during the voyage of the "HMS Beagle", and his life that followed in England. This document of one the world's most important naturalists is a must read for any student of the history of science and gives a firsthand account of the impact that a truly revolutionary theory can have.
LanguageEnglish
Release dateJan 1, 2014
ISBN9781420949834
Autobiographies
Author

Charles Darwin

Charles Darwin (1809–19 April 1882) is considered the most important English naturalist of all time. He established the theories of natural selection and evolution. His theory of evolution was published as On the Origin of Species in 1859, and by the 1870s is was widely accepted as fact.

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Rating: 3.9352941176470586 out of 5 stars
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  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    A bit dry, but I still found it interesting as it pertains to his thought processes and reasoning. As a bonus, his down-to-earth and unassuming demeanor was very endearing.
  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    A re-release of Darwin's autobiography 100 years after the release of his most famous book. This release restored a great deal that had been abridged from the original release of his autobiography at the request of his wife, Emma. Darwin's musings on religion are now returned to this work, written for his children. A fine work, elegantly written and easy to read.
  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    A re-release of Darwin's autobiography 100 years after the release of his most famous book. This release restored a great deal that had been abridged from the original release of his autobiography at the request of his wife, Emma. Darwin's musings on religion are now returned to this work, written for his children. A fine work, elegantly written and easy to read.
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    A delightful read. Much more enjoyable than I had anticipated.
  • Rating: 3 out of 5 stars
    3/5
    A good quick read, though it focuses heavily on his works on only lightly on family and internal thoughts. If you wish to know more about Darwin the man then I'd suggest his letters and correspondence. Or The Voyage of the Beagle.
  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    Revealed short periods of his lift but gives good insight into Darwin's thinking.

Book preview

Autobiographies - Charles Darwin

cover.jpg

AUTOBIOGRAPHIES

BY CHARLES DARWIN

Print ISBN 13: 978-1-4209-4982-7

eBook ISBN 13: 978-1-4209-4983-4

This edition copyright © 2014

Please visit www.digireads.com

CONTENTS

AN AUTOBIOGRAPHICAL FRAGMENT

THE AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF CHARLES DARWIN

FOREWORD BY FRANCIS DARWIN

TEXT

CAMBRIDGE 1828-1831.

VOYAGE OF THE BEAGLE FROM DECEMBER 27, 1831, TO OCTOBER 2, 1836.

FROM MY RETURN TO ENGLAND (OCTOBER 2, 1836) TO MY MARRIAGE (JANUARY 29, 1839.)

FROM MY MARRIAGE, JANUARY 29, 1839, AND RESIDENCE IN UPPER GOWER STREET, TO OUR LEAVING LONDON AND SETTLING AT DOWN, SEPTEMBER 14, 1842.

RESIDENCE AT DOWN FROM SEPTEMBER 14, 1842, TO THE PRESENT TIME, 1876.

MY SEVERAL PUBLICATIONS.

WRITTEN MAY 1ST, 1881.

AN AUTOBIOGRAPHICAL FRAGMENT

Life. Written August––1838

My earliest recollection, the date of which I can approximately tell, and which must have been before I four years old, was when sitting on Carolines knee in the dining room, whilst she was cutting an orange for me, a cow run by the window, which made me jump; so that I received a bad cut of which I bear the scar to this day. Of this scene I recollect the place where I sat & the cause of the fright, but not the cut itself.––& I think my memory is real, & not as often happens in similar cases, from hearing the thing so often repeated, one obtains so vivid an image, that it cannot be separated from memory, because I clearly remember which way the cow ran, which would not probably have been told me. My memory here is an obscure picture, in which from not recollecting any pain I am scarcely conscious of its reference to myself.—

1813 summer.—When I was four year & a half old went the sea & staid there some weeks—I remember many things, but with the exception of the maid servants (& these are not individualised) I recollect none of my family, who were there.—I remember either myself or Catherine being naughty, & being shut up in a room & trying to break the windows.—I have obscure picture of house before my eyes, & of a neighbouring small shop, where the owner gave me one fig, but which to my great joy turned out to be two:––this fig was given me that this man might kiss the maidservant:—I remember a common walk to a kind of well, on the road to which was a cottage shaded with damascene trees, inhabited by old man, called a hermit, with white hair, used to give us damascenes—I know not whether the damascenes, or the reverence & indistinct fear for this old man produced the greatest effect, on my memory.—I remember, when going there crossing in the carriage a broad ford, & fear & astonishment of white foaming water has made vivid impression.—I think memory of events commences abruptly, that is I remember these earliest things quite as clearly as others very much later in life, which were equally impressed on me.—Some very early recollections are connected with fear, at Parkfields{1} with poor Betty Harvey I remember with horror her story of people being pushed into the canal by the towing rope, by going wrong side of the horse..—I had greatest horror of this story.––keen instinct against death.—Some other recollections are those of vanity, & what is odder a consciousness, as if instinctive, & contempt of myself that I was vain––namely thinking that people were admiring me in one instance for perseverance & another for boldness in climbing a low tree.—My supposed admirer was old Peter Hailes the bricklayer, & the tree the Mountain Ash on the lawn.

All my recollections seem to be connected most closely with self.—now Catherine seems to recollect scenes, where others were chief actors.—When my mother died, I was 8 & ½ old.––& she one year less, yet she remember all particular & events of each day, whilst I scarcely recollect anything, except being sent for—memory of going into her room, my Father meeting us crying afterwards. She remembers my mother crying, when she heard of my grandmother's death.—Also when at Parkfields, how Aunt Sarah & Kitty used to receive her—& so with very many other cases.{2}

Susan like me, only remember affairs personal—It is sufficiently odd, this difference in subjects remembered. Catherine says she does not remember the impression made upon her by external things as scenery., but things which she reads she has excellent memory––ie for ideas. now her sympathy being ideal, it is part of her character, & shows how early her kind of memory was stamped. A vivid thought is repeated, a vivid impression forgotten.—{3}

I recollect my mother's gown & scarcely anything of her appearance. except one or two walks with her I have no distinct remembrance of any conversations, & those only of very trivial nature.—I remember her saying if she did ask me to do something, which I said she had, it was solely for my good..––

I remember oscurely the illumination after the Battle of Waterloo, & the militia exercising, about that period, in the field opposite our House.—{4}

1817. 8½ old went to Mr Cases school.—I remember how very much I was afraid of meeting the dogs in Barker St & how at school I could not get up my courage to fight.—I was very timid by nature. I remember I took great delight at school in fishing for newts in the quary pool.—I had thus young formed a strong taste for collecting, chiefly seals, franks & but also pebbles & minerals,––one which was given me by some boy, decided this taste.—I believe shortly after this or before I had smattered in botany, & certainly when at Mr Case's school I was very fond of gardening, & invented some great falsehoods about being able to colour crocuses as I liked.—At this time I felt strong friendships for some boys.—It was soon after I began collecting stones, ie when 9 or 10 I distinctly recollect the desire I had of being able to know something about every pebble in front of the Hall door––it was my earliest––only geological aspiration at that time.—I was in these days a very great story teller,––for the pure pleasure of exciting attention & surprise. I stole fruit & hid it for these same motives, & injured trees by barking them for similar ends.—I scarcely ever went out walking without saying I had seen a pheasant or some strange bird, (natural History taste). these lies, when not detected, I presume excited my attention, as I recollect them vividly,.––not connected with shame, though some I do,––but as something which by having produced great effect on my mind, gave pleasure, like a tragedy.––

I recollect when at Mr Cases, inventing a whole fabric to show how fond I was of speaking the truth!—my invention is still so vivid in my mind, that I could almost fancy it was true did not memory of former shame tell me it was false.—I have no particularly happy or unhappy recollections of this time or earlier periods of my life.––

I remember well a walk I took with boy named Ford across some fields to a farmhouse on Church Stretton Road.––

I do not remember any mental pursuits excepting those of collecting stones &c.––gardening, & about this time often going with my father in his

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