Evolution and Wonder: Understanding Charles Darwin

About the Image

This elevation map of a coral reef island is a hand-drawn water-color sketch by Charles Darwin, date unknown.

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A greyscale image of Notebook B. The original notebook has been lost and isn't available for photoduplication.
(Reprinted with permission of Syndics of Cambridge University Library, DAR 121:45)

» listen (mp3, 2:29) to David Kohn provide a broader context to this passage and why Darwin wrote it

Image transcription →

Astronomers might formerly have said that God ordered, each planet to move in its particular destiny.— In same manner God orders each animal created with certain form in certain country, but how much more simple, & sublime power let attraction act according to certain laws such are inevitable consequen let animal be created, then by the fixed laws of generation, such will be their successors.—

let the powers of transportal be such & so will be the form of one country to another.— let geological changes go at such a rate, so will be the numbers & distribution of the species!!

(Reprinted with permission of Syndics of Cambridge University Library, DAR 121:45)