The Complete Work of Charles Darwin Online

RECORD: Darwin, C. R. [1857 or after]. In regard to Those who make man a sub-Kingdom [i.e. Owen]. CUL-DAR80.B35-B36. Edited by John van Wyhe (Darwin Online, http://darwin-online.org.uk/)

REVISION HISTORY: Transcribed by Christine Chua and edited by John van Wyhe 10.2021. RN2

NOTE: Richard Owen, in a paper read before the Linnean Society in February and April, 1857, proposed to place man not only in a distinct order, but in "a distinct sub-class of the Mammalia", the Archencephala. Further elaborated in: Owen, Richard. 1859. On the classification and geographical distribution of the mammalia, being the lecture on Sir Robert Reade's foundation, delivered before the University of Cambridge, in the Senate-House, May 10, 1859. To which is added an appendix "on the gorilla," and "on the extinction and transmutation of species." London: John Parker. A335 in Darwin Online. See the review by Huxley (praised by Darwin), On the zoological relations of man with the lower animals. Natural History Review, 1861, p. 67.

Reproduced with permission of the Syndics of Cambridge University Library and William Huxley Darwin. The volumes CUL-DAR80-86 contain material for Darwin's book Descent of man (1871).

[B35]

In regard to Those who make man a sub-Kingdom, we very confidently believe, seeing Homology & Embryology, that if we imagine some other being classifying him, such an idea wd never enter his head.

Owen archencephala not followed, as far as I know by anyone.

The best judges in England place man with Ch. G. Orang & Gibbons as [illeg] together from their mutual relations being closer than with other apes, a division. This is no doubt a broken group man very distinct in corporal structure - development of brain & adaptive resemblances to erect position, but these not generally thought of paramount importance.

I am aware of Gratiolet's view not admitted by Huxley or in fact by Owen?

[B36]

See Martin

{These Anthropomorph apes form one division, Semnopithecus & Cynocephali another;

whether these 3 divisions of equal value & branch off from same part of genealogical tree I will not pretend to decide. All 3 groups from the old world apes & the new world consist of 2 groups about which it is doubtful whether they branch off from one point - But the old & new world form 2 or 3 main divisions, & all have so much in common &c &c. Hence Orangs, including man descended from some monkey-like creature.

Lastly the Quadrumana of old & new worlds together with Lemuridæ form 2 great stems, which together compose the Primates

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