Darwin letter reveals his fury
Tuesday 20th January 2009, 11:48AM GMT.
A letter written by Charles Darwin revealing his anger at being plagued with stupid questions from “half the fools throughout Europe” will be sold at auction today.
The handwritten letter sheds light on Shrewsbury’s most famous son’s frustration at the endless correspondence from people seeking advice and states he is “tired to death” of replying to stupid requests from the public.
The letter was written at his home in Downe, Kent, and experts believe it was written around 1879.
It reads: “Pray forgive this very untidy letter, but I am tired to death with writing letters; half the fools throughout Europe write to ask me the stupidest questions.”
The letter will be auctioned by Lawrences in Crewkerne, Somerset, today with a guide price of £1,800 to £2,200. It will be sold in a joint lot alongside a limited edition copy of Pedigree Of The Family Of Darwin.
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Some other letters Darwin didn’t want!
Darwin received at least two letters he could not ignore.One came from a certain Patrick Matthew who claimed he had publshed the theory of natural selection some twenty five years earler. Both Darwin and Wallace had to admit that Matthew beat them to the Theory. Another letter came from the Reverend Baden Powell, father of the scouting Baden Powell,also claiming that Darwin had “borrowed ” his ideas. For more details search Google for “wainwrightscience”
Dr Milton Wainwright,Dept Molecular Biology and Biotechnology,University of Sheffield,UK
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They always say history is written by the victors and Darwins publication certainly did that! I am not arguing the point with Milton just stating what the World generally believes to be the author of the origin of species.
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