More Letters of Charles Darwin — Volume 1. Darwin Charles

      May 14th: "Began, by Lyell's advice, writing Species Sketch" (described in "Life and Letters" as the "Unfinished Book").

      December 16th: Finished Chapter III. Paper read to Linnean Society, On Sea-water and the Germination of Seeds.

      1857.

      September 29th: Finished Chapters VII. and VIII.

      September 30th to December 29th: Working on Hybridism. Paper on the Agency of Bees in the Fertilisation of Papilionaceous Flowers.

      1858.

      March 9th: "Finished Instinct chapter."

      June 18th: Received Mr. Wallace's sketch of his evolutionary theory.

      July 1st: Joint paper of Darwin and Wallace read at the Linnean Society.

      July 20th to July 27th: "Began Abstract of Species book," i.e., the "Origin of Species," at Sandown, I.W. Paper on Bees and Fertilisation of Flowers.

      1859.

      May 25th: Began proof-sheets of the "Origin of Species."

      November 24th: Publication of the "Origin": 1250 copies printed.

      October 2nd to December 9th: At the water-cure establishment, Ilkley, Yorkshire.

      1860.

      January 7th: Publication of Edition II. of "Origin" (3000 copies).

      January 9th: "Looking over MS. on Variation." Paper on the Fertilisation of British Orchids.

      July and again in September: Made observations on Drosera. Paper on Moths and Flowers. Publication of "A Naturalist's Voyage."

      1861.

      Up to July at work on "Variation under Domestication."

      April 30th: Publication of Edition III. of "Origin" (2000 copies).

      July to the end of year: At work on Orchids.

      November: Primula paper read at Linnean Society. Papers on Pumilio and on Fertilisation of Vinca.

      1862.

      May 15th: Orchid book published. Working at Variation. Paper on Catasetum (Linnean Society). Contribution to Chapter III. of Jenyns' Memoir of Henslow.

      1863.

      Working at "Variation under Domestication." Papers on Yellow Rain, the Pampas, and on Cirripedes. A review of Bates' paper on Mimetic Butterflies. Severe illness to the end of year.

      1864.

      Illness continued until April. Paper on Linum published by the Linnean Society.

      May 25th: Paper on Lythrum finished.

      September 13th: Paper on Climbing Plants finished. Work on "Variation under Domestication."

      November 30th: Copley medal awarded to him.

      1865.

      January 1st: Continued at work on Variation until April 22nd. The work was interrupted by illness until late in the autumn.

      February: Read paper on Climbing Plants.

      December 25th: Began again on Variation.

      1866.

      Continued work at "Variation under Domestication."

      March 1st to May 10th: At work on Edition IV. of the "Origin." Published June (1250 copies). Read paper on Cytisus scoparius to the Linnean Society.

      December 22nd: Began the last chapter of "Variation under Domestication."

      1867.

      November 15th: Finished revises of "Variation under Domestication."

      December: Began papers on Illegitimate Unions of Dimorphic and Trimorphic Plants, and on Primula.

      1868.

      January 30th: Publication of "Variation under Domestication."

      February 4th: Began work on Man.

      February 10th: New edition of "Variation under Domestication." Read papers on Illegitimate Unions of Dimorphic and Trimorphic Plants, and on Verbascum.

      1869.

      February 10th: "Finished fifth edition of 'Origin'; has taken me forty-six days."

      Edition V. published in May.

      Working at the "Descent of Man." Papers on the Fertilisation of Orchids, and on the Fertilisation of Winter-flowering Plants.

      1870.

      Working at the "Descent of Man." Paper on the Pampas Woodpecker.

      1871.

      January 17th: Began the "Expression of the Emotions."

      February 24th: "Descent of Man" published (2500 copies).

      April 27th: Finished the rough copy of "Expression."

      June 18th: Began Edition VI. of "Origin." Paper on the Fertilisation of Leschenaultia.

      1872.

      January 10th: Finished proofs of Edition VI. of the "Origin," and "again rewriting 'Expression.'"

      August 22nd: Finished last proofs of "Expression."

      August 23rd: Began working at Drosera.

      November: "Expression" published (7000 copies, and 2000 more printed at the end of the year.)

      November 8th: "At Murray's sale 5267 copies sold to London booksellers."

      1873.

      January: Correcting the Climbing Plants paper for publication as a book.

      February 3rd: At work on "Cross-fertilisation."

      February to September: Contributions to "Nature."

      June 14th: "Began Drosera again."

      November 20th: Began "Descent of Man," Edition II.

      1874.

      "Descent of Man," Edition II, in one volume, published (Preface dated September). "Coral Reefs," Edition II., published.

      April 1st: Began "Insectivorous Plants."

      February to May: Contributed notes to "Nature."

      1875.

      July 2nd: "Insectivorous Plants" published (3000 copies); 2700 copies sold immediately.

      July 6th: "Correcting 2nd edition of 'Variation under Domestication.'" It was published in the autumn.

      September 1st (approximately): Began on "Cross and Self-Fertilisation."

      November: Vivisection Commission.

      1876.

      May 5th: "Finished MS., first time over, of 'Cross and Self-Fertilisation.'"

      May to June: Correction of "Fertilisation of Orchids," Edition II. Wrote his Autobiographical Sketch.

      May and November: Contributions to "Nature."

      August 19th: First proofs of "Cross and Self-Fertilisation."

      November 10th: "Cross and Self-Fertilisation" published (1500 copies).

      1877.

      "All the early part of summer at work on 'Different Forms of Flowers.'"

      July: Publication of "Different Forms of Flowers" (1250 copies). During the rest of the year at work on the bloom on leaves, movements of plants, "and a little on worms."

      November: LL.D. at Cambridge. Second edition of "Fertilisation of Orchids" published.