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X

DAR 210.8

W. E. D & Frank on the religious part of the Autobiography

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Frank about Life Ap. 1885

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80 Huntingdon Road, Cambridge.

Dear Mother,

I am so very sorry you have been pained The only reason that I didn't write is that I have been so tired with other work that I haven't considered the book at all – also that I should

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always leave anything out that you really care about and therefore I had nothing to say I cannot particularly agree with all your suggestions but I care very much about there being nothing left in that you really mind – I am very glad you like what I have written.

Yours dear mother affect[ional]ly

FD

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30 Nov.1887

Albert Dicey

My dear Darwin

When I was at your sister's [Henrietta] on Sunday, I read thro' your memoir of your father (not the letters). I cannot resist the pleasure of telling whilst the impression is vivid on my mind, what delight it gave me. I do not think one more simple & interesting, & worthy

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him could have been composed. My only regret is that your personal reminiscences were not longer. One thing I thought above all charming, almost amounting to an inspiration, i.e. the references to your mother. No one who ever knew as much of your household as I did could have felt the book otherwise than imperfect without as much said

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as you have said: yet till I saw it, I could hardly have believed it possible to say rightly what required such delicacy of feeling & of expression. I can hardly imagine anything which wd have given more pleasure to your father than this mention of her. The fact is that independently of all that makes your father's life full of interest, the book is also, to any one who was happy enough to see him, a picture of the most beautiful family life which I have seen.

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Please let me add, what is far more easily visible to others than to yourself – that you seem to have a rare literary gift – especially for biography, which I think has not often been equaled ---- I do not think it was possible to come the least across your father without feeling that one got something from him which lifted one above all the pettiness & turmoils of life –

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80 Huntingdon Road, Cambridge.

Isn't it absurd to call the religious part, an awaiting of the faith of England –

Dear Wm

I send you a letter of items which shows a considerably boiling overly state-of-mind- I think it is quite an unfair argument that we are dragging him into a religious row that he kept out of when living – It is quite unfair to think of what he felt in his life – if we did we could publish nothing – But if we are to [have]

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this argument, then I have a clear recollection of his saying that he doubted whether he ought not to be more open abt his belief or disbelief – I have a feeling that he wd like it published if (only I feel too that he would like nothing published) – You see that Hen says he only gave his views when asked – but one may feel certain that the whole of those who will be his readers would ask. They say that father's words will have no weight, that no one will be converted to agnosticism – If this is so I cannot see that

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there need be any desperation among the orthodox. If [they, crossed] his words have no practical effect in weaking faith, their whole sting must be in their manner – and nothing can be better than the tone. I will send you the autobiogry (as it is now printed) tonight. I fully understood that mother only minded the 'damnable doctrine and I am sure mother's present feeling is due to the L's. I don't want to be annoyed with HEL [Henrietta]. I think her feeling is really for mother – but RB has I think queer conservato-grundiform feelings too – Hers his heart –

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They must remember that Haeckel Aveling and Co have made father's views known. As I am writing the book, I refuse to ignore the fact that these publications have appeared –

And if I mention them without giving their contents.

I am reduced to absolute necessity if giving some account of his religion – If so it can be best given in his own words – and in the place he put it – It would be leaving out the best account of a very interesting bit of his mind – It certainly feels to me rather like suppressing – whether it is so or not – I am very

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80 Huntingdon Road, Cambridge.

glad you have written rather firmly to mother, it was perfectly kind and nice – and I think it will help to make up her mind – A few days ago she had agreed that she shouldn't mind it with a few omissions. But next day she seemed to have swung round again. I don't want to hurry her, or I might have got it printed then – The only

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thing I think about is whether the result will be painful to her – I don't believe it will; I don't see how there is much room for acrimoniousness – The only other way it can be bad is that rampant atheists may stand on their heads – but

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I do not think that will much affect her – This is a rambling letter –

I will mark in the autobiogry what I feel I could leave out

Yrs affect

FD

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80 Huntingdon Road, Cambridge.

Dear Wm

At the end of my sketch are 2 pp 114-115, the beginning of Ch IV 'Cambridge Life' (at least I think they are there) wd you tear them off and send them. I have corrected a lot that is in your copy of my sketch – I have left out the part about mother

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but put in a different account elsewhere with less detail and dwelling on the comfort she was to him I want to write to you about the religious question [spilled to facing page] but am too tired now. It seems that the dread of a discussion is the great stumbling block. I am very sorry for mother

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bothered by HEL & Co or rather RBL & Co for HEL; and by us on the other side. I think they utterly exaggerate the amount of discussion – LD [Leonard] compares it to the talk abt Carlyle's letters – but there it was the indiscretion that made people talk.

Yrs affect

FD

I was so glad of a short night of Sara who if I may be allowed to say so is a wonner

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THE GROVE. HUNTINGDON ROAD. CAMBRIDGE.

Jan 22 1885

My dear Mother

I am very sorry that you shd be troubled about the auto – I have not yet read it in print, nor have I seen L. Stephen's letter; I will do so & consider the question well – I feel in a difficulty about it. The auto – was left specially to me, & I am primarily responsible for any use that is made of it. I can hardly consent to any course which seems to me to be distinctly lowering to Father's memory, or to imply that his opinions on

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such a subject as religion wd not bear publication without hurting his reputation.

It is hard for me fully to enter into your feelings, as I feel so clearly that nothing that can be said can touch his character.

Of course such papers as the Record may use harsh language or the Sat. may sneer; but I think the criticism of respectable journals, as far as it was depreciatory, wd take the line that such arguments are inadequate on which to build unbelief; & some might be naturally led to conclude that the publication of such arguments wd on the

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whole tend to strengthen religious belief. But this seems rather beside the question for us to consider.

If one is writing the biography of such a man, & especially making use of his auto-bio- it is not in my opinion treating honourably either believers or unbelievers, to keep back his opinions on such a subject, however much they may have the appearance of sketchiness; which quality pervades the whole auto-bio I think such a man shd be allowed to say what he thinks (with the exception of any adjective &c specially offensive to believers) I cannot see how

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a paraphrase of Frank's wd satisfy either party.

I quite feel that your individual feelings shd be treated with the utmost consideration to the extent of stopping the publication of the life if necessary.

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RIDGEMOUNT, BASSET, SOUTHAMPTON.

Jun 22nd

My dear Mother,

I am very sorry that you shd be troubled about the autobiography. I have not yet read it in print, nor have I read L. Stephen's letter. I will do so & consider the question well –

I feel in a difficulty about it. [The] autobiography was left specially to me, & I am primarily responsible for any use that is made of it. I can hardly consent to any course which seems to me to be distinctly lowering to Father's memory or to imply that his opinions on such a subject as religion would not bear publication without hurting his reputation.

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It is hard for me fully to enter into your feelings, as I feel so clearly that nothing that can be said can touch his character.

Of course such papers as the Record may use harsh language and possibly to Saturday Review may sneer; but I think the criticism of respectable journals, as far as it was depreciatory, would take the line that such arguments are inadequate on which to base unbelief; and some might naturally be led to conclude that the publication of such arguments would on the whole tend to strengthen religious belief.

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But this seems rather beside the question for us to consider.

If one is writing the life of such a man, & especially making use of his autobiography,it is not in my opinion treating honourably either believers or unbelievers, to keep back his opinions on such a subject, however much they may have the appearance of sketchiness; which quality pervades the whole biography: and I think that such a man should be allowed to say what he thinks (with the except of any adjective &c specially offensive to a believer) I cannot see how a paraphrase of Fs

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wd satisfy either party.

It seems a pity this subject was not considered fully sooner.I understood that 6 minutes ago you may [objected] to the "Damnable Doctrine" sentence and perhaps an adjective or two I can of course easily understand that you might change your opinion, [eight lines crossed] I quite feel that your [ ], such feelings should be treated with the utmost consideration, [ ] [ ] extent of stopping this publication of the life [autobiography]if necessary. good night dear Mother.

Your affect son,

W E Darwin

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My dear Mother,

I am very sorry that you should be troubled about the autobiography. I have not yet read it in print nor have I seen L. Stephen's letters. I will do so and consider the question well. I feel in a difficulty about it; the autobiography was left specially to me and I am primarily responsible for any use that is made of it. I can hardly consent to any to the course which seems to be distinctly lowering to Father's memory and to imply that his [some, crossed] his opinions on such a subjectas religious and not bear publication without hurting his reputation. It is difficult for me

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Fully to enter into your feelings as I feel [towards, crossed], so clearly but nothing that can be said ever touch his character.

Of course to "Record" [ ] may [choose, crossed] [ ] use harsh language; & to Saturday Review & hear the criticism [three words illeg] as to respectable [ ] [illeg, crossed] would be [illeg, crossed] hear such arguments are quite inadequate on which to base unbelief and this would [ ] [ ] there. to publication of such reasons [could, crossed] would in [to, crossed] whole strengthen [Character, crossed] religious belief.

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Well this seems to be not a a [ ] to be much considered by us.

If [all] is writing the life if such a man and especially making use of his autobiography [ ] it is not totaling [unreasonable]

Either believers or unbeliever to keep back his opinions on such a subject [ ] may have the appearance of sketchiness and I

How a paraphrase of Franks will [ ]

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Either side.

It seems a pity this subject was not considered fully sooner. I quite understand them 6 minutes ago you only objected to to an sentence about the " damnable question" and perhaps our […….]

……..

I can easily understand you [……]

Well I cannot help bullies [….] who is [ ] to [ ] her objects through you.

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I must say [illeg] & think that it is a great pity she should do this. instead of writing direct to us.

I quite feel that your personal feelings should be treated with the utmost consideration, even to the extent of stopping the publication of the life entirely.

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WYCHFIELD, HUNTINGDON ROAD, CAMBRIDGE.

Dear Wm

I have come to a kind of compromise with HEL and send you the result. I have not shown the chapter as it is, but have merely agreed to publish the bit out of the Autobiogry apart for the rest of the Auto, & with the religious

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letters – The sentence "I feel no remorse for having committed any grt crime" which she insanely objects to I shall publish elsewhere – perhaps as the last sentence of the whole book.

On p 229 I have put in (so clearly) I wish you wd look at your

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copy of the Autoy & see how this goes.

Also on p 225 I have put a Qn you may be able to answer.

I should like to know what you think of the Chapter – I was [am, crossed] very doubtful abt putting in the note on Aveling, but on the whole I am inclined to keep it –

Yrs affec

FD

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About Autobiogry

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*

This is not perhaps a fair argument

If the Religious part is [were, crossed] not published I shall be absolutely bound to say that it has been omitted – which I should dislike very much – and I do not believe that father would like it.* I have a distinct remembrance of his feeling doubts as to whether he had [concert, crossed] refrained, in his lifetime, too much from letting his opinions be known. It must be remembered that his letters to two people briefly stating his condition of unbelief, have been published – also the interview with Aveling so it does not seem worthy of him that his views (on what he certainly felt strongly abt) should only be known through such men as Aveling, and through Haeckel who published the letter illegally and against our wishes. I think if he has felt that his religious views were strictly private and concerned no one

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but himself he would not have answered the dutch man [Nicolaas Dirk Doedes] or the german student – As to the responsibility of publishing views which may do harm, I think there is a similar responsibility in concealing them.

If [fathers, crossed] the fact that he thought as he did has any weight in changing any one's beliefs, [they, crossed] it may be a great comfort to the many who cannot believe in the old faith and yet feel it wicked to doubt. And if they are to be led by anybody, they may do worse than be led by a great man who writes about it with simple truthfulness and as he says "is content to remain an agnostic". In another way I think it may do as much good as harm that it should be known that a man who led an absolutely pure and honourable

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3

life, held the views he did.

If I did not feel sure that he wrote it without thinking that it would be published I should not feel it to be valuable. The responsibility of publicity nests on us; and it would not be like him preaching or dogmatising but as if I remembered his words and published them

This is rather muddled

This kind of feeling prevents my feeling that any presumtiousness can be imputed to him – and we publish it as a wonderful picture of an important bit of his mind and of his life.

As to the idea that he had not thought abt it – I believe that is quite a mistake. He says about 1842 that for two years he "thought much" on religion; and in 1876 he felt his religion so much a part of his life that he wrote a long account of it in his Autobiogry

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4

If you remember that the quality of his mind was the power of never losing sight of what interested him & I do not think it can be doubted that he did think about it much. When I get L. Stephen's letter you will see that he does not think it crude, and does think it highly interesting –

As to parents not liking to put such a book before children – I quite respect the feeling – but I think such a book must be written for men and women.

- The only argument I [know, crossed] have heard which has [any, crossed] weight is that it might raise a discussion that might be painful to you. If this were so it would [be] a convincing one.

But I cannot help thinking that the omission would be likely to raise some discussion Tho' I believe neither course would raise a painful discussion – I think is true as

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L. Stephen says that he is certain to be treated with respect.

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[4, crossed]

5

W. E. D & Frank on Religious part of Auto_

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About Autobiogry