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Extracts from Letters to Henslow

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Extracts from Letters to Henslow is an 1835 pamphlet published by John Stevens Henslow at his own expense of extracts from ten letters Charles Darwin sent him during the secomd survey expedition of HMS Beagle. This pamphlet helped to establish Darwin's reputation among scientists and the informed public. On first learning of this pamphlet's publication Darwin was "a good deal horrified" at Henslow making public "what had been written without care or accuracy", but "No hay remedio" (it can't be helped).[1][2]

Background

Darwin came to know Henslow through his attendance at his scientific talks and outings at Cambridge University. He had heard of Henslow through his brother Erasmus who greatly revered him as a man of scientific brilliance and integrity. Inspired by Henslow he soon became a visitor to Henslow's house and subsequently met the scientific fraternity.

The British Admiralty Hydrographer of the Navy Francis Beaufort was part of the Cambridge network, and keen to promote science. When organising the second survey voyage of HMS Beagle, he took up captain Robert FitzRoy's suggestion of taking along a geologist, and asked his friend the mathematician George Peacock to "recommend a proper person to go out as a naturalist with this expedition".[3] Peacock offered the place to the Reverend Leonard Jenyns,[4] who got as far as packing his clothes before having second thoughts. Henslow thought of going, but his wife "looked so miserable" that he turned it down.[5]

Henslow obviously rated Darwin highly, though at the time science was not a formally recognised subject at Cambridge. Henslow replied to Peacock that Darwin was "the best qualified person I know of who is likely to undertake such a situation", and then wrote a letter to Darwin who was then on a field trip in Wales studying ptactical geology with Adam Sedgwick (Professor of Geology). When Darwin returned to Shrewsbury on 29 August 1831 he found the letter from Henslow telling him of the offer.[6] His father was opposed to the idea, so Darwin turned it down, but his uncle overcame the objections, and on 1 September Darwin accepted the self-funded position.

Preparations were quickly made. Darwin insisted that his collections would be under his own control, subject to them going to a suitable public body. Henslow had hopes for the small Cambridge Philosophical Society museum, but Darwin diplomatically said new finds should go to the "largest & most central collection" rather than a "Country collection, let it be ever so good".[7] FitzRoy arranged transport of specimens to England by the Admiralty Packet Service, and Henslow agreed to store them at Cambridge. Darwin confirmed with him arrangements for land carriage from the port.[8]

The Extracts

During the Beagle survey of South America, Darwin corresponded with Henslow, outlining the research he had carried out, and keeping Henslow informed when sending him shipments of collected specimens as official cargo on the Admiralty Packet Service, as arranged before the start of the voyage. Henslow sent fragments of Darwins letters to renowned scientific publications which assured Darwin of a more than respectable reputation.[citation needed] He also compiled quotes from ten letters and published them privately at his own expense for the Cambridge Philosophical Society and associates.

The original pamphlet is now rare. According to American Book Prices Current only four copies have appeared at auction since 1975. Freeman 1; Norman 583. On 19 June 2014 Christies auctioned an original copy in New York (Sale 2861) and realised $221,000.

In 1960 it was reprinted privately for the same circulation.

The front page of the 1960 reprint of Extracts from Letters to Henslow with a similar distribution to the original of 1835 - members and associates of the Cambridge Philosophical Society.

The preface by Dr. Sydney Smith in the 1960 reprint contends that the value of reprinting was partially because this was 'the first writing of Charles Darwin ever to be published.' This is not quite true, as Darwin had already been published in Records of captured insects, Stephens, J. F., Illustrations of British entomology 1829-1832.[9][10]

Notes

  1. ^ Barlow, ed., Charles Darwin and the Voyage of the Beagle, pp. 140–42.
  2. ^ "Letter no. 302, Charles Darwin to Catherine Darwin, 3 June 1836, Cape of Good Hope". Darwin Correspondence Project. Retrieved 27 January 2022.
  3. ^ "George Peacock". Darwin Correspondence Project. 18 October 2017. Retrieved 29 January 2022.
  4. ^ "Letter no. 104, George Peacock to J. S. Henslow, [6 or 13 August 1831]". Darwin Correspondence Project. Retrieved 27 January 2022.
  5. ^ "Letter no. 115, Charles Darwin to Susan Darwin, [4 September 1831], Cambridge". Darwin Correspondence Project. Retrieved 27 January 2022.
  6. ^ "Letter no. 105, J. S. Henslow to Charles Darwin, 24 August 1831, Cambridge". Darwin Correspondence Project. Retrieved 27 January 2022.
  7. ^ "Letter no. 123, Charles Darwin to J. S. Henslow, 9 [September 1831], [London]". Darwin Correspondence Project. Retrieved 28 January 2022.
  8. ^ "Letter no. 140, Charles Darwin to J. S. Henslow, [4 or 11 October 1831], [London]". Darwin Correspondence Project. Retrieved 3 January 2022.
  9. ^ "Darwin Online: Letters on Geology". Darwin Online. 19 January 1973. Retrieved 27 January 2022.
  10. ^ "Darwin Online: Darwin's insects in Stephens' Illustrations of British entomology (1829-32)". Darwin Online. Retrieved 27 January 2022.

References

  • Barlow, ed., Charles Darwin and the Voyage of the Beagle, pp. 140–42).
  • [Records of captured insects], Stephens, J. F., Illustrations of British entomology, 1829-1832
  • Darwin, Charles (1 December 1835). Henslow, J S (ed.). [Extracts from letters addressed to Professor Henslow]. Cambridge: [privately printed]. Retrieved 27 January 2022. {{cite book}}: |website= ignored (help)
  • Extracts from Letters to Henslow (1960) Private Printing
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