1211
DARWIN CHARLES: (1809-1882) ´ I could not distinguish commonest weed from the rarest now extinct pl
1/2
Description
DARWIN CHARLES: (1809-1882) English naturalist, famous for his theory of evolution published in On the Origin of Species (1859). A fine A.L.S., C. Darwin, two pages, oblong 8vo, n.p. (Down, Kent), n.d. (annotated as received on 23rd January 1867), to Joseph Dalton Hooker (´My dear H.´). Darwin announces ´I shd. much like Miquel´s photograph´ and remarks ´Give him my address & do not bother yourself with sending it´, further thanking Hooker for his ´pleasant letter just received´ and commenting ´We are very glad Mrs. H. goes on well´. In a postscript of five lines to the verso Darwin also states ´You had better not send, if in earnest, the earth from St. Helena to me, as I could not distinguish commonest weed from the rarest now extinct plant´. Docketed by Hooker with the date of receipt to the lower left corner. With a slightly irregular lower edge (where Darwin neatly tore the paper from a larger sheet) and with very minimal, light traces of former mounting to the left edge of the verso. VGJoseph Dalton Hooker (1817-1911) English botanist and explorer, a founder of geographical botany who served as director of the Royal Botanical Gardens at Kew and was Charles Darwin´s closest friend. Friedrich Anton Wilhelm Miquel (1811-1871) Dutch botanist whose main focus of study was on the flora of the Dutch East Indies. The present letter was written in response to Hooker´s letter of 20th January 1867 in which he had informed Darwin of Miquel´s request to exchange carte-de-visite photographs (´I grieve to bother you on such a subject - I am sick & tired of this Carte Correspondence´) and also updated his friend on the health of his wife, Frances Harriet Hooker, who had just given birth to their son, Reginald Hawthorn Hooker (´My wife goes on well but has a horrid face-ache - & Reginald blooms & squeaks´). In the same letter Hooker had made an assurance to Darwin, ´By jove I will write out next mail to the Governor of St. Helena for boxes of earth; & you shall have them to grow´. Hooker´s letter, in its turn, had been written as a reply to Darwin´s letter of 15th January 1867 in which Darwin gently berated his friend, ´You have no faith, but if I knew any one who lived in St. Helena I wd. supplicate him to send me home a cask or two of earth from a few inches beneath the surface from the upper parts of the Island, & from any little dried up pond, & thus as sure as I am a wriggler I should revive a multitude of lost plants´. In his Origin of Species Darwin had described the viability of seeds in pond mud and seawater, writing ´I do not believe that botanists are aware how charged the mud of ponds is with seeds: I have tried several little experiments, but will here give only the most striking case: I took in February three table-spoonfuls of mud from three different points, beneath water, on the edge of a little pond; this mud when dry weighed only 6¾ ounces; I kept it covered up in my study for six months, pulling up and counting each plant as it grew; the plants were of many kinds, and were altogether 537 in number; and yet the viscid mud was all contained in a breakfast cup! Considering these facts, I think it would be an inexplicable circumstance if water-birds did not transport the seeds of fresh-water plants to vast distances, and if consequently the range of these plants was not very great'.Hooker had published a lecture on ´Insular Floras´ in the Gardeners' Chronicle for 12th January 1867 in which he provided 'a brief outline of Mr. Darwin's arguments in favour of trans-oceanic migration'. The topic of St Helena and its seed deposits resulted from this paper, Hooker writing concerning the elimination of the island's flora: 'The botany of St. Helena is thus most interesting; it resembles none other in the peculiarity of its indigenous vegetation, in the great rarity of the plants of other countries, or in the number of species that have actually disappeared within the memory of living men. In 1839 and 1843 I in vain searched for forest trees and shrubs that flourished in tens of thousands not a century before my visit, and still existed as individuals 20 years before that date. Of these I saw in some cases no vestige, in others only blasted and lifeless trunks cresting the cliffs in inaccessible places. Probably 100 St. Helena plants have thus disappeared from the Systema Naturæ since the first introduction of goats on the island. Every one of those was a link in the chain of created beings, which contained within itself evidence of the affinities of other species, both living and extinct, but which evidence is now irrecoverably lost. If such be the fate of organisms that lived in our day, what folly it is to found theories on the assumed perfection of a geological record which has witnessed revolutions in the vegetation of the globe, to which that of the Flora of St. Helena is as nothing'.Provenance: Darwin´s letter was previously part of a collection of autograph letters formed by by Hooker's uncle, Rev Dr Dawson William Turner (1815–1885), and has only appeared on the market once previously, having been discovered in 2019.
Auction Details
Shipping
T&Cs & Important Info
Ask seller a question
DARWIN CHARLES: (1809-1882) English naturalist, famous for his theory of evolution published in On the Origin of Species (1859). A fine A.L.S., C. Darwin, two pages, oblong 8vo, n.p. (Down, Kent), n.d. (annotated as received on 23rd January 1867), to Joseph Dalton Hooker (´My dear H.´). Darwin announces ´I shd. much like Miquel´s photograph´ and remarks ´Give him my address & do not bother yourself with sending it´, further thanking Hooker for his ´pleasant letter just received´ and commenting ´We are very glad Mrs. H. goes on well´. In a postscript of five lines to the verso Darwin also states ´You had better not send, if in earnest, the earth from St. Helena to me, as I could not distinguish commonest weed from the rarest now extinct plant´. Docketed by Hooker with the date of receipt to the lower left corner. With a slightly irregular lower edge (where Darwin neatly tore the paper from a larger sheet) and with very minimal, light traces of former mounting to the left edge of the verso. VGJoseph Dalton Hooker (1817-1911) English botanist and explorer, a founder of geographical botany who served as director of the Royal Botanical Gardens at Kew and was Charles Darwin´s closest friend. Friedrich Anton Wilhelm Miquel (1811-1871) Dutch botanist whose main focus of study was on the flora of the Dutch East Indies. The present letter was written in response to Hooker´s letter of 20th January 1867 in which he had informed Darwin of Miquel´s request to exchange carte-de-visite photographs (´I grieve to bother you on such a subject - I am sick & tired of this Carte Correspondence´) and also updated his friend on the health of his wife, Frances Harriet Hooker, who had just given birth to their son, Reginald Hawthorn Hooker (´My wife goes on well but has a horrid face-ache - & Reginald blooms & squeaks´). In the same letter Hooker had made an assurance to Darwin, ´By jove I will write out next mail to the Governor of St. Helena for boxes of earth; & you shall have them to grow´. Hooker´s letter, in its turn, had been written as a reply to Darwin´s letter of 15th January 1867 in which Darwin gently berated his friend, ´You have no faith, but if I knew any one who lived in St. Helena I wd. supplicate him to send me home a cask or two of earth from a few inches beneath the surface from the upper parts of the Island, & from any little dried up pond, & thus as sure as I am a wriggler I should revive a multitude of lost plants´. In his Origin of Species Darwin had described the viability of seeds in pond mud and seawater, writing ´I do not believe that botanists are aware how charged the mud of ponds is with seeds: I have tried several little experiments, but will here give only the most striking case: I took in February three table-spoonfuls of mud from three different points, beneath water, on the edge of a little pond; this mud when dry weighed only 6¾ ounces; I kept it covered up in my study for six months, pulling up and counting each plant as it grew; the plants were of many kinds, and were altogether 537 in number; and yet the viscid mud was all contained in a breakfast cup! Considering these facts, I think it would be an inexplicable circumstance if water-birds did not transport the seeds of fresh-water plants to vast distances, and if consequently the range of these plants was not very great'.Hooker had published a lecture on ´Insular Floras´ in the Gardeners' Chronicle for 12th January 1867 in which he provided 'a brief outline of Mr. Darwin's arguments in favour of trans-oceanic migration'. The topic of St Helena and its seed deposits resulted from this paper, Hooker writing concerning the elimination of the island's flora: 'The botany of St. Helena is thus most interesting; it resembles none other in the peculiarity of its indigenous vegetation, in the great rarity of the plants of other countries, or in the number of species that have actually disappeared within the memory of living men. In 1839 and 1843 I in vain searched for forest trees and shrubs that flourished in tens of thousands not a century before my visit, and still existed as individuals 20 years before that date. Of these I saw in some cases no vestige, in others only blasted and lifeless trunks cresting the cliffs in inaccessible places. Probably 100 St. Helena plants have thus disappeared from the Systema Naturæ since the first introduction of goats on the island. Every one of those was a link in the chain of created beings, which contained within itself evidence of the affinities of other species, both living and extinct, but which evidence is now irrecoverably lost. If such be the fate of organisms that lived in our day, what folly it is to found theories on the assumed perfection of a geological record which has witnessed revolutions in the vegetation of the globe, to which that of the Flora of St. Helena is as nothing'.Provenance: Darwin´s letter was previously part of a collection of autograph letters formed by by Hooker's uncle, Rev Dr Dawson William Turner (1815–1885), and has only appeared on the market once previously, having been discovered in 2019.
Autograph Letters, Manuscripts & Historical Documents Auction featuring the Collection of a Leicestershire Gentleman Part I
Sale Date(s)
Lots: 1-580
Lots: 581-1140
Lots: 1141-1640
Venue Address
Calle Jerez S/N
Urb. El Real del Campanario
Esc. 12, Bajo B
Estepona
Malaga
29688
Spain
IAA Europe offer an in house shipping service for the convenience of buyers. Lots are securely packed and shipped via courier with full tracking details which will be supplied upon despatch.
Your invoice will include postage, packing and insurance charges.
Important Information
Day One - Lots 1 - 580
Day Two - Lots 581 - 1140
Day Three - Lots 1141 - 1640
Bidding at the auction will be online only.
We offer an in-house shipping service to worldwide destinations.
Terms & Conditions
Buyers Terms & Conditions
1. Interpretation
1.1. "Auctioneers" means " International Autograph Auctions Europe S.L. "
1.2. "Catalogue" means the brochure relating to a sale (including any addendum thereto) and any other related documents and advertisements.
1.3. "Conditions" means these terms and conditions of sale
1.4. "Hammer Price" means the price at which a lot is knocked down by the Auctioneers to the Purchaser.
1.5. "Purchaser" means the person who purchases a lot or lots pursuant to these conditions.
1.6. "Seller" means the person who is selling the lot or lots pursuant to these conditions.
1.7. "VAT" means Value Added Tax.
2. Bidding
2.1. The highest bidder for each lot shall be the Purchaser of that lot.
2.2. No person shall be entitled to retract a bid. The Auctioneers reserve the right of refusing any bid without giving any reason and of altering, adding to, dividing, consolidating or withdrawing any lot or lots for sale.
2.3. The Auctioneers reserve the right to fix a reserve price for any lot at a figure no higher than the lower estimate.
2.4. The Auctioneers reserve the right to bid on behalf of the Seller on lots which are subject to a reserve price. The Seller shall not be entitled to bid where the Auctioneers have reserved such a right.
2.5. In the case of a dispute as to any bid the Auctioneers may immediately determine the dispute or put up the lot again at the last undisputed bid or withdraw the lot.
2.6. The Auctioneers will accept written commission bids free of charge from any person who is unable to attend the sale. Bids will also be accepted by telephone and fax at the sender's risk.
2.7. Lots will not normally be sold at less than two-thirds bottom estimate.
3. Payment
3.1. Each Purchaser shall give in his name and address and proof of identity (if required) to the Auctioneers at a sale and shall if required pay such deposit as the Auctioneers may specify.
3.2. The Purchaser shall pay the Hammer Price together with a premium of 30.25% on the Hammer Price (this amount includes VAT and must not be shown separately or claimed as input tax). By the making of any bid the Purchaser acknowledges that his attention had been drawn to this fact and that he assents to the Auctioneers receiving the said commission. A 25% premium will be payable by Purchasers outside the European Union (EU). Zero-rated goods such as books will be subject to a premium of 25% whether within or outside the EU unless entered by a VAT registered Seller.
3.3. Payments for lots must be made in cash, bankers draft or cheque guaranteed by the bank upon which it is drawn. Lots will not be released against cheques from Purchasers unknown to the Auctioneers until cleared by such Purchaser's bank. Payment is accepted by Visa and Mastercard. A surcharge of 3% plus VAT will be levied to accounts settled by credit cards for non EU buyers. Payment is also accepted by most debit cards with no surcharge.
3.4. Overseas clients are requested to settle accounts by USA Dollars or Sterling bank transfer (details upon request), by Euro cheques, by Visa or Mastercard (a surcharge of 3% plus VAT [clients outside the EU exempt from VAT] will be levied to accounts settled by this method) or if payment is made on personal accounts in foreign currency the client is requested to add the equivalent of a further €10 to cover bank conversion charges. The Auctioneer reserves the right to claim back from the Purchasers any shortfall due to bank charges or currency fluctuations on that account.
3.5. No lots will be released by the Auctioneers until receipt of payment in full from the Purchaser.
4. Risk
4.1. All lots shall be the sole risk of the Purchaser from the fall of the hammer.
4.2. The Purchaser shall take all lots in the condition in which he finds them. It is the responsibility of all intending Purchasers to satisfy themselves by inspection or otherwise as to the authenticity in the authorship, date, age, period, condition or quality of any lot.
5. Liability
5.1. Neither the Seller of any lot nor the Auctioneers make or give nor has any person in the employment of the Auctioneers any authority to make or give any representation or warranty in relation to any lot and any implied conditions or warranties are excluded.
5.2. All statements contained in the Catalogue as to the authenticity, attribution, genuineness, origin, authorship, date, age, period, condition or quality of any lot are statements of opinion only and are not to be taken as or implying statements or representations of fact. Lots are sold subject to all faults and errors in description or otherwise.
5.3. Notwithstanding the provisions of paragraphs 5.1. and 5.2. of these Conditions in the event of a dispute as to authenticity of any lot(s) the item or items in question should be returned to the Auctioneers within 21 days of receipt by the Purchaser of such lot(s) together with a formal statement by a recognised expert The Auctioneers shall at their option and without admission of liability reimburse the price paid by the Purchaser in respect of such lot(s). This does not constitute an approval service.
5.4. Neither the Auctioneers nor the Seller shall be responsible for any loss, damage or injury occasioned to or sustained by any person on the premises before, during or after a sale save in respect of death or personal injury caused by negligence of the Seller or the Auctioneers.
6. Capacity of Auctioneers
For all purposes of a sale the Auctioneers shall be deemed to be the agent of both the Seller and the Purchaser and they shall not be considered responsible for any default on the part of either the Seller or Purchaser.
7. Delivery
7.1. Lots will only be released once payment in full has been received from the Purchaser.
7.2 An insurance charge of 1.8 % plus VAT will be applied to all invoices for packages sent from our offices
7.3. Postage is subject to VAT at 21% within the EU
7.4. The Auctioneers will provide full customs declarations on the Hammer Price plus the Purchaser's premium and Purchaser's shall be responsible for any customs charges made by the country of import.
7.5. A charge will be made for the packing & shipping of deliveries which is subject to VAT at 21% within the EU.
8. Auctioneers Remedies
In the event that the Purchaser fails to pay for any lot(s) in full pursuant to these Conditions then the Auctioneers shall be entitled:
8.1. to rescind the sale of the relevant lot(s)
8.2. to resell the lot(s) without further notice either by public or private sale and the deficiency (if any) arising from such second sale together with all charges and expenses relating to the same shall be the responsibility of the defaulting Purchaser and shall be recoverable as and for liquidated damages.
9. Jurisdiction
These Conditions shall be governed by Spanish law and the parties submit to the exclusive jurisdiction of the Spanish courts.
Online Bidding
International Autograph Auctions Europe S.L. offer an online bidding service for bidders who cannot attend the sale, however please be advised that a charge of 3% + VAT is chargeable on all purchases made through any of the online bidding facilities offered.
In completing the bidder registration and providing your credit card details and unless alternative arrangements are agreed with International Autograph Auctions Europe S.L.
1. You authorise International Autograph Auctions Europe S.L., if they so wish, to charge the credit card given in part or full payment, including all fees, for items successfully purchased in the auction, and
2. confirm that you are authorised to provide these credit card details to International Autograph Auctions Europe S.L. and agree that International Autograph Auctions Europe S.L. are entitled to ship the goods to the card holder name and card holder address provided in fulfillment of the sale.
3. confirm that you accept that an additional charge of 3% + VAT will be applied to your invoice for use of an online bidding facility
