RECORD: Darwin, C. R. 4.1842. 'Talking with Mr. Strickland = I confess that my theory must necessarily be given up'. CUL-DAR205.9.149. Transcribed by John van Wyhe. (Darwin Online, http://darwin-online.org.uk/).

REVISION HISTORY: Transcribed by John van Wyhe, corrections by Kees Rookmaaker 11.2010. RN1

NOTE: The brown crayon number '22' indicates that this document was filed by Darwin in his portfolio for the subject of Palaeontology: extinction.

Reproduced with permission of the Syndics of Cambridge University Library and William Huxley Darwin. The volume CUL-DAR205.9 contains notes on palaeontology and geology [regarding theory of evolution].


[149]

Ap. /42/ Talking with Mr. Strickland = I confess that my theory must necessarily be given up. — if it is cede was probable in high degree that the first shell of Silurian System, was really if first, if really didelphys of Stonefield was really first mammal.— but I am far from believing in this, though greater number of geologists undoubtedly do.— The same chain of reasoning which make me deny this will also explain the gaps in chain — for if we now possess in our cabinet anything near the whole series — then also our my theory must be given up — but I am far from believing that we do nearly possess such a series. =1

22

1 Darwin refers to the incompleteness of the geological record, which he believed was a product of unlikely preservation, the ravages of time having destroyed many fossils and incomplete examination of fossil bearing strata.

22] written in crayon over other entries.


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Citation: John van Wyhe, ed. 2002-. The Complete Work of Charles Darwin Online. (http://darwin-online.org.uk/)

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