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| Darwin Soundbites |
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| December 2005 | Science and Society | |
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Some quotes from special events at the opening of the Darwin Exhibition at the American Museum of Natural History Q: At the time when Darwin worked, this question of whether species were fixed—was that an exciting scientific question most people were thinking about? Niles Eldredge (Curator of the Darwin exhibition): There is a wonderful phrase from John Herschel, philosopher and astronomer, at the time perhaps England’s best-known scientist. He was in Cape Town observing the stars. Darwin dropped in on him during the Beagle voyage. Herschel had already written a letter to Lyell wondering when a young naturalist would come along to solve that ‘mystery of mysteries’, why extinct species seem to be replaced by new ones. Q: Did Darwin talk to a lot of other scientists before he published? Randal Keynes (Charles Darwin’s great-great-grandson): Yes, he had a little group. One called Thomas Henry Huxley, who became his great advocate. He also spoke to Lyell, the famous geologist, who is also very important in his story. He explained his ideas to these people and he tested them with them. One of the wonderful things that happened in the room that is recreated so brilliantly in the exhibition is that Darwin gathered together all of his main scientific friends, Huxley, Lyell, Hooker, and the others, and he talked through the theory with them to see whether it stood up. And it was having had that conversation with them, he decided OK, I think I can offer it and people may accept it. Q: Was Darwin surprised when he heard that Wallace was about to come forward with his ideas? [In 1858 Alfred Wallace wrote to Darwin sending him a manuscript describing evolution by natural selection. Darwin had already made this breakthrough in 1838, but he had not published his ideas and Wallace didn’t know that Darwin and he had come to the same conclusions.] Randal Keynes: He was shattered, he really was very concerned to be able to take part of the credit for his theory. He didn’t want it all. He wanted to be with Wallace, and he was very happy that it was agreed that the announcement would be a theory of Darwin and Wallace. Some comments on Darwin’s bookshelf Randal Keynes: Towards the end of Darwin’s life, his mind was as full as ever with theories and questions, strong hopes and deep worries, and he often had difficulty sleeping. He kept one book by his bedside to read when he needed another focus for his thoughts—not high science or morality, but a short work by an American writer. I would never have guessed who it was. His favorite author at the end of his life was Mark Twain, and his favorite read among Mark Twain’s writing is Mark Twain’s first book of short stories The Celebrated Jumping Frog of Calaveras County…It is good to think of Darwin, this supposedly respectable and solemn man loving that story.Related Articles: |
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