RECORD: Darwin, C. R. 1882. [Letter to N. A. von Mengden "Science has nothing to do with Christ", 1879]. In Ernst Haeckel, Die Naturanschauung von Darwin, Goethe und Lamarck. Vortrag in der ersten öffentlichen Sitzung der fünfundfünfzigsten Versammlung deutscher Naturforscher und Aerzte zu Eisenach am 18. September 1882. Jena: G. Fischer, p. 60. (John van Wyhe ed., 2002-. The Complete Work of Charles Darwin Online, http://darwin-online.org.uk/)

REVISION HISTORY: Transcribed and edited by John van Wyhe 3.2008. A few typographical errors in the original have been silently corrected. RN2

NOTE: See record in the Freeman Bibliographical Database, enter its Identifier here.

The letter from Darwin to Mengden stating "Science has nothing to do with Christ" was a sensation when it was published in 1882 and very widely reprinted around the world. See Mengden to Darwin 2 April 1879 and Mengden to Darwin 3 June 1879, Correspondence vol. 27.

Darwin, C. R. 1882. [Letter to N. A. von Mengden "Science has nothing to do with Christ", 1879]. In Ernst Haeckel, Die Naturanschauung von Darwin, Goethe und Lamarck. Vortrag in der ersten öffentlichen Sitzung der fünfundfünfzigsten Versammlung deutscher Naturforscher und Aerzte zu Eisenach am 18. September 1882. Jena: G. Fischer, p. 60. Text F1998
French: PDF F3427 German: Image PDF F2530

Darwin, C. R. 1882. Mr. Darwin and revelation. Pall Mall Gazette (23 September): 2. Text Image PDF F1973
French: Text F3419 German: Text F1998 Spanish: Text PDF F3360

Lewins, Robert. 1882. Mr. Darwin and Professor Haeckel. Journal of Science 3d ser. 4: 751-752. Text Image A304

See 1882 letters from Mengden to Francis Darwin in CUL-DAR198.137 and CUL-DAR198.139

[page] 60

June 5. 1879.

Down, Beckenham, Kent

Dear Sir! I am much engaged, an old man and out of health, and I cannot spare time to answer your question fully—provided it can be answered. Science has nothing to do with Christ; except in so far as the habit of scientific research makes a man cautious in admitting evidence. For myself I do not believe that there ever has been any Revelation. As for a future life, every man must judge for himself between conflicting vague probabilities.

Wishing you happiness

I remain, dear Sir,

Yours faithfully

Charles Darwin.1

1 This letter was addressed to Nicolai Alexandrovitch von Mengden (b. 1862), student at Dorpat, Russian diplomat. See Calendar 11971, 11981, 12079, 12088.

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

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