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Here are a number of personal letters written by Charles Darwin. As far as we can tell here at The DNA Store, all letters are original and as described.
These letters are not for sale and not in our possession. We also do not know who presently owns any of the letters. They are here for your scientific interest only.

 

Letter number 17 written by Charles Darwin

 

RELATING A NEW DISCOVERY. DARWIN, CHARLES. Autograph Letter Signed, "Ch. Darwin," to Shropshire naturalist W. A. Leighton, a lengthy letter discussing botanical findings, including differences in hairs on an unnamed fruit, experiments with Primula, and his accidental discovery that movement of sepals causes the corollas to detach from Verbascum. 8 pages, four 8vo sheets; remnants of prior mounting on the left edge of the first page, usual folds, a bit toned. Down, 4 December [circa 1861]

" . . . I had a Verbascum in my garden (which I now know to be a natural hybrid from V. thapsus & lychnites) & I wished to make some experiments on it; so I asked Mrs. Darwin to come & tie in thread the quite young flowers. To do this she had with forceps to pull off buds on each side. When I came to fertilise them, I cried out 'Why have you chosen old flowers & the corollas are all dropped off?' She declared she had not & tied some more & when I came I found them also all off. So I said we will make sure this time for we will pull each flower and see the corolla is firm; so we again pulled off the buds on each side & tied the thread, when lo & behold off dropped all the corollas. It is caused by the movement of the sepals . . ."


Charles Darwin Letter
 


Letter 1 : Letter 2 : Letter 3 : Letter 4 : Letter 5 : Letter 6 : Letter 7 : Letter 8 : Letter 9 : Letter 10 : Letter 11
Letter 12 : Letter 13 : Letter 14 : Letter 15 : Letter 16 : Letter 17 : Letter 18 : Letter 19 : Letter 20
Letter 21 : Letter 22 : Letter 23 : Letter 24 : Letter 25 : Letter 26 : Letter 27 : Letter 28: Letter 29 : Letter 30 : Letter 31
Letter 32 : Letter 33 : Letter 34 : Letter 35 : Letter 36 : Letter 37 :Letter 38 : Letter 39 : Letter 40 : Letter 41 : Letter 42
Letter 43 : Letter 44 : Letter 45 : Letter 46 : Letter 47 : Letter 48 : Letter 49



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