RECORD: Darwin, C. R. 1999 [1858.11.13-11.30]. Draft of Origin of species, Sect. 7, folio 235. Catalogue of important autograph letters, historical documents and commemorative medals...to be sold by auction at 3 & 4 Hardwick Street, London, EC1R 4RY on Thursday, 11 November 1999. Bloomsbury Book Auctions, pp. 7-8, Lot 9.
REVISION HISTORY: Transcribed and edited by John van Wyhe, corrections by Christine Chua 11.2022. RN4
NOTE: See record in the Freeman Bibliographical Database, enter its Identifier here. Donated by Henrietta Litchfield to the Red Cross auction in 1916. The buyer donated it to the library of Clifton College, Clifton, Bristol. Mentioned in O. F. Christi, A history of Clifton College: 1860-1934, 1935, p. 203: "an autograph MS. of part of The Origin of Species." With thanks to C. S. Knighton, Principal Assistant Keeper of Archives, Clifton College, for confirming the former presence of the manuscript in that collection and other information about its provenance. The pencil annotations by Henrietta Litchfield are more legible in a photocopy kindly sent by Dr Knighton. As with other surviving leaves, Litchfield's comments refer to the pagination of the 5th edition of Origin. From the 1999 Bloomsbury Book Auctions description: "20 ½ lines of p. 209, Chapter VII 'Instinct Like Habit', autograph manuscript, 1f., c. 194 words including deletions, in 22 lines, eight deletions and three insertions, numbered '235'…331 x 203mm". Sold to a buyer in "the Americas" for £39,500. We can reveal that the reserve was only £8,500. The meaning of the stamp on this leaf was not previously known. It is a Red Cross & Order of Saint John auction stamp from 1916.
This text of the draft corresponds to part of Origin, Chapter VII, Instinct, p. 209.
[235]
[Red Cross & Order of Saint John auction stamp]
(235
Sect 7. Instinct
[pencil insertion by Litchfield:] Or of S p 257 line 12
instinctively. But it would be the most serious th error to suppose that the greater number of instinct have been acquired by habit in one generation & then transmitted to succeeding generations , iIt can be clearly shown that the most wonderful instincts, with which we are acquainted, namely those of the Hive-bee & of most Ants, could not possibly have been thus acquired.
[pencil insertion by Litchfield:] (p. 257)
If It will be universally admitted that the instincts of each species are good for it & as important as th under the its conditions of life, & as important for its welfare is as is as [illeg] corporeal structure. Then Under changed conditions of life it is at least possible that slight modifications of instinct might be profitable to any species. And if it can be shown that natural instincts do vary ever so little; then I can see no difficulty in natural selection preserving & continually accumulating variations of instinct to any amount in any profitable direction. Thus I believe all the most complex & wonderful instincts have originated. As modifications of corporeal structure both originate & are [illeg] increased by use & disuse;
[pencil insertion by Litchfield:] p. 257 bottom
[253v]
[inscription in unknown hand:]
Autograph manuscript of the 'Origin of Species' preserved by Charles Darwin's daughter, Henrietta Litchfield. Feb. 1916.
[pencil inscription in unknown hand:]
Or. dft, p. 257 line 12, (p. 257 bottom
[page] 8
9. Darwin (Charles, naturalist, 1809-82) AUTOGRAPH LEAF FROM THE DRAFT OF "ON THE ORIGIN OF SPECIES BY MEANS OF NATURAL SELECTION", forming 20 ½ lines of p. 209, Chapter VII "Instinct Like Habit", autograph manuscript, 1f., c. 194 words including deletions, in 22 lines, eight deletions and three insertions, numbered "235" by Darwin, inscription on verso "Autograph manuscript of the 'Origin of Species' preserved by Charles Darwin's daughter Henrietta Litchfield. Feb. 1916", red ink stamp at head of leaf, later pencil inscription "Or. dft, p. 257 line 12, (p. 257 bottom" not corresponding to the first edition, blue paper, folds, very slight foxing, 331 x 203 mm., [1859].
£15000 – 20000
***INSTINCTIVE BEHAVIOUR BY NATURAL SELEECTION.
The leaf reads: […]
There are at least six textual variations, apart from punctuation between this draft and the published version, the most notable being: "It will be universally admitted that instincts are as important as corporeal structure for the welfare of each species, under its present conditions of life."
[See ILLUSTRATION]
[Clifton College photocopy]
Citation: John van Wyhe, ed. 2002-. The Complete Work of Charles Darwin Online. (http://darwin-online.org.uk/)
File last updated 16 November, 2023