The Complete Work of Charles Darwin Online

RECORD: Darwin, C. R. [1859.02.28-03.15]. Draft of Origin of species, Ch. XIII, fair copy folio 48. CUL-DAR185.109.21. Edited by John van Wyhe (Darwin Online, http://darwin-online.org.uk/)

REVISION HISTORY: Transcribed and by Christine Chua and John van Wyhe, edited by John van Wyhe 11.2022. RN2

NOTE: See record in the Darwin Online manuscript catalogue, enter its Identifier here. Reproduced with permission of the Syndics of Cambridge University Library and William Huxley Darwin. Nora Barlow sent these drawings on the backs of Darwin's book drafts and Origin folio 198 to long-time head of manuscripts at CUL, Peter Gautrey (1925-2011) on 4 February 1971 (see CUL-DAR185.61a).

Draft in the hand of Joseph Fletcher with corrections by Darwin. Curiously, this is written double-spaced to allow for corrections between the lines which are lightly drawn in pencil. Darwin wrote to Lyell 30 March [1859] "will send shortly a large bundle of M.S. but unfortunately I cannot for a week, as the three first chapters are in three copyists' hands" Correspondence vol. 7, p. 272. The editors of the Correspondence noted: "Entries in CD's Account book (Down House MS) for 6 and 9 April 1859 indicate that CD paid Mr Fletcher and John Mumford for copying. The third copyist was presumably Ebenezer Norman."

The text of the draft corresponds to Origin, Chapter XIII, Mutual affinities of organic beings: morphology: embryology: rudimentary organs, pp. 442-3.

[48]

[chapter and page numbers in Darwin's hand:] (48

[Chap.] XIII

mately become very unlike & will serve

at this early period of growth alike;— of embryos

in the same class, generally, but not

ch other;—of the structure of the embryo

ts conditions of existence, except

iod of life active & has to provide for itself;

aving sometimes a higher organisation

to which it has to be developed. I

largely explained, as follows, on

modification.)

[left side and bottom of page excised]

'48' is written in ink over a faint pencil number, '492'?

[For clarity, here is the text from Origin, pp. 442-3 with the text of this draft in bold:

How, then, can we explain these several facts in embryology,—namely
the very general, but not universal difference in structure between the
embryo and the adult;—of parts in the same indivividual embryo, which
ultimately become very unlike and serve for diverse purposes,
being at this early period of growth alike;—of embryos of different species within
the same class, generally, but not universally, resembling
each other;—of the structure of the embryo not being closely related to
its conditions of existence, except when the embryo becomes at any
period of life active and has to provide for itself;—of the embryo apparently
having sometimes a higher organisation than the mature animal,
into which it is developed. I believe that all these facts can be
explained, as follows, on the view of descent with
modification.]

[48v]

[child's pencil drawing]

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