RECORD: Anon. 1877. [Review of Forms of flowers]. Library Table (22 December): 75.
REVISION HISTORY: Transcribed by Christine Chua and edited by John van Wyhe. 6.2021. RN1
NOTE: See the record for this item in the Freeman Bibliographical Database by entering its Identifier here. Darwin, C. R. 1877. The different forms of flowers on plants of the same species. New York: D. Appleton & Co.
[page] 75
ABOUT fifteen years ago, Mr. Darwin read before the Linnean Society a series of papers upon the double and triple forms of flowers which some plants bear. These papers in a connected and corrected form, together with much new matter, have been recently republished under the title the "Different Forms of Flowers on Plants of the same Species.'' The volume is very similar to his book upon "Insectivorous Plants," in its method and in the nature of its contents. It is made up of a detailed record of thousands of observations and experiments which are so naturally grouped and classified that the argument from them is readily understood. Among the plants which exhibit different forms of flowers and were studied by Mr. Darwin with especial care for several years, are the common cowslip and primrose. The two chapters devoted to these flowers show that the primrose is evidently something more than "a yellow primrose" to him; although he does not see unutterable things within it, yet he finds many which are curious and remarkable and which seem worthy of extended study. Those to whom "the method of science" of which much has been written of late, is a stumbling block or a mystery, or perhaps a device of Satan to ensnare unsuspecting souls, cannot do better for their own enlightenment than to read carefully all the pages of this book. It is published by the Appletons.
Citation: John van Wyhe, ed. 2002-. The Complete Work of Charles Darwin Online. (http://darwin-online.org.uk/)
File last updated 25 September, 2022