You now have the opportunity to read the majority of Charles Darwin’s writing. The University of Cambridge has made available online all of the evolutionary scientist’s remaining correspondence, including 400 letters that have emerged or have been “reinterpreted.” Over 15,000 letters written between 1822 and 1882 are now accessible, spanning from his pivotal time aboard the HMS Beagle to On the Origin of Species and end-of-life observations.
The online archive may be the only way to get a complete picture of Darwin’s life. The institution points out that the final print version, scheduled in early 2023, will not include messages that came too late to be printed. Many books incorporate footnotes and bibliographies to put quotations into perspective.
This final piece of letters shows how opinions regarding evolution evolved throughout the researcher’s lifetime. Natural selection had generally been accepted as fact among younger scientists by 1882, a stark contrast to the early resistance to On the Origin of Species upon its original appearance in 1859. The letters also show that Darwin was still conducting experiments months before his death.
It will not be the same as having the actual letters in your hands. It is, however, a classic instance of the internet’s significance to scholars, as well as everyone who is intrigued. As with previous archival endeavours, you may acquire a feeling of history without visiting an archive or donning cotton gloves.
