RECORD: Darwin, C. R. [1859]. Draft of Origin of species, Sect. VIII, folio 277. Lehigh-MS-ALS-Darwin-C.1859. Edited by John van Wyhe (Darwin Online, http://darwin-online.org.uk/)
REVISION HISTORY: Scanned for Darwin Online by Special Collections, Lehigh University. Transcribed by Christine Chua and John van Wyhe, edited by John van Wyhe 11.2022. RN4
NOTE: See record in the Darwin Online manuscript catalogue, enter its Identifier here. Reproduced with permission of the Lehigh University Libraries Special Collections and William Huxley Darwin. This 21 x 21 cm manuscript was given by Henrietta Litchfield to an unknown recipient, as accompanying letter (below) details, on 12 November 1923. A note in the Lehigh Libraries catalogue notes that the manuscript was "Purchased 5 July 1967". As a chapter summary, and because "Chapter" is used rather than the usual "Section" and using the same folio number "277" as used for Sect. 7, folio 277, this is clearly a later manuscript, perhaps it was interleaved with the fair copy for the printers. The manuscript has been pasted onto a backing sheet of early 20th-century ruled paper. At our request, Special Collections, Lehigh University staff re-scanned the manuscript and put it on a lightbox to make visible the text on the verso now covered by the backing sheet. There is no text by Darwin and only notes by George Darwin, which continue on the recto.
See the introduction to the Origin of species drafts by John van Wyhe
The text of the draft corresponds to Origin, Chapter VIII, Hybridism, p. 245.
[277]
(277
Chapter VIII
Hybridity
Distinction between the sterility of first crosses & of hybrids — sterility various in degree, not universal, affected by inter-breeding, of probably removed by domestication — Laws governing the sterility of Hybrids — Sterility not a special endowment but incidental on other differences — Causes of the sterility of first crosses & of Hybrids — Parallelism between the effects of changed conditions of life & crossing — Fertility of varieties when crossed & of their mongrel offspring, fertility not universal — Hybrids & mongrels compared independently of their fertility.— Summary.—
______________________
[Later insertion in purple ink in the hand of George Darwin:]
It follows also that any line as OP, drawn from an external O to a given line is greaterthan the perpendicular OM. For the angle it is being a right angle, the angle at P is less then it, ∴ OP › OM.
The perpendicular OM is called the distance of the point O from the straight line AB.
[bottom half of page excised]
[277v backing sheet]
[blank]
[277v]
[mathematical notes in the hand of George Darwin, not transcribed]
[Litchfield letter:]
[Embossed letterhead:]
STATION GOMSHALL.
TEL. 13 SHERE.
BURROWS HILL,
GOMSHALL,
GUILDFORD.
November 12th, 1923
The accompanying sheet of manuscript is in the hand writing of my father, the late Charles Darwin. It is part of the original manuscript of the first edition of the Origin of Species.
Henrietta Litchfield
Citation: John van Wyhe, ed. 2002-. The Complete Work of Charles Darwin Online. (http://darwin-online.org.uk/)
File last updated 24 November, 2023