RECORD: Darwin, C. R. n.d. allusion has been made to the many services afforded by voice. CUL-DAR85.A4. Edited by John van Wyhe (Darwin Online, http://darwin-online.org.uk/)

REVISION HISTORY: Transcribed by Christine Chua and edited by John van Wyhe 3.2022. RN1

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. The volumes CUL-DAR80-86 contain material for Darwin's book Descent of man (1871).

Darwin cited this in Descent 2: 336.


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allusion has been made to the many services afforded by voice; but from [illeg] the use of voice in the amphibians & in insects, we may suspect that voice first originated or intensified & perfected as a sexual call or charm in as such animals as crustaceans have hairs adapted to vibrate in having with more sounds, it is not surprising that sexual calls shd soon pass with musical notes. Nor is it surprising that the repeating of musical sounds shd be placing to nervous system. But we have first with obscure part of all - pain & pleasure. We know no cause why certain sounds shd give pleasure that certain bright colours shd do so, or certain tastes — Then as far as we are concerned are ultimate tastes.


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

File last updated 25 September, 2022