RECORD: Anon. 1876. [Review of Variation]. Animals and plants under domestication. The Chronicle (University of Michigan), vol. 7 (20 May): 180.

REVISION HISTORY: Transcribed by Christine Chua and edited by John van Wyhe. 7.2021. RN1


[page] 180

ANIMALS AND PLANTS UNDER DOMESTICATION: By Charles Darwin. Second Edition. D. Appleton & Co., New York.

This indefatigable writer, not content with pushing his work forward into new fields, brings his previous work up to his own advanced point of view. He has continued his labors in the field which this book covers, and thus has accumulated a large body of additional facts, many of them very important. Mr. Darwin's style is so well known to, and so greatly admired by scientific readers that for them it is beyond praise. To the popular reader we would say that if they have not already made themselves acquainted with his writings, they would find no difficulty in becoming interested in his works. For, although the earnest discussions which men of the highest rank in science have held concerning the scientific principles involved in Mr. Darwin's works have invested them with a scientific glamour, so to speak, that frightens the popular reader, yet, Mr. Darwin is so accurate, so clear, so concise, that his profundity is not observed till we have mastered it. It must not be thought that this clearness detracts from the scientific value of the work, on the contrary, "it is a model of scientific inquiry, and will scarcely find a parallel in any language. It is utterly free from the diffuse verbiage which corrupts the style of so many of the prominent German naturalists, and from the subtle refinements so often throw an air of romance around the physical speculations of French writers." As an indication of the enhanced value of this edition we may mention that two pages are taken by a list of the additions to former edition, and the chapter on Pangenesis been largely altered and remodelled; but the essential principles remain the same.

For sale by Sheehan Co., University Place.


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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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