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Charles Darwin Autograph Letter Signed UACC PADA

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British scientist who laid the foundation of modern evolution theory. In "Origin of Species." Darwin introduced the concept that all related organisms are descended from common ancestors. In his book "Descent of Man" Darwin proposed that Man evolved from an anthropoid animal. Handwritten Autograph Letter Signed relating to his research for his theory of "Origin of Species" and also his theory on "Descent of Man." Origin of Species describes evolution and natural selection and gives a theoretical explanation for the diversity among living and fossil beings. He postulated the notion that humans were descended from ape-like creatures, and provided ample examples with the study of skeletons and skulls of various of humans, animals and fossils. Great scientific content Autograph Letter Signed, 1 page, 4.75" x 7.5", no date [paper watermarked 1860]. This may be a complete letter that Darwin puts with a package or maybe the final page of a letter to an unknown gentleman. This letter refers to his research on the half lop rabbit, that helped him develop his theory of "Origin of Species" but also directly influenced his theory on Descent of Man, where darwin compares the skull formation of the rabbit to man's skull. Darwin used an illustration of the half-lop rabbit skull in his own book to show how the skull of a domestic rabbit has evolved due to his different environment as opposed to a wild rabbit. Later Darwin also uses the Half-Lop Rabbit skull to explain how the human skull had developed over time. The letter also specificly mentions Skulls and Skeleton research he has not gotten to yet. Darwin writes in his hand, in part: “Send them to me at enclosed address, as I rather want to see two of them.” Darwin adds a postscript: “I am getting together a few points to investigate. I think the Half-Lop, had better be Killed (not kicked in Head) if you get me.” On a back panel Darwin adds, “I have not yet opened the box with the Skulls, for I have not yet come to Skeleton.” Signed “C. Darwin,” Darwin used the Half-Lop rabbit, mentioned in our letter, extensively in his research as early as 1854, five years before printing his revolutionary work "Origin of Species." In fact, Darwin underscored a passage about the Half-Lop in a book that can now be found in the Darwin Library–CUL and is annotated in Darwin's hand. Darwin later reproduced the illustration of the half-lop rabbit skull (Delamer 1854, opposite p. 135) in his own book Variation of Animals and Plants under Domestication 1: 108. 1735.f8. He used this reproduction to show how the skull of a domestic rabbit has evolved due to his different environment as opposed to a wild rabbit. [See our illustration of Darwin’s book pages] Darwin then uses again this research on the Half-Lop Rabbit skull to explain how the human skull had developed over time. In Descent of Man, Darwin writes: " the brains of domestic rabbits are considerably reduced in bulk, in comparison with those of the wild rabbit or hare; and this may be attributed to their having been closely confined during many generations, so that they have exerted their intellect, instincts, senses and voluntary movements but little. The gradually increasing weight of the brain and skull in man must have influenced the development of the supporting spinal column, more especially whilst he was becoming erect. " So his research on the half lop, mentioned in this letter, helped him develop his theory of "Origin of Species" but also directly influenced his theory on Descent of Man where he writes: "Now I was at first much surprised on finding that in all these rabbits the skull had become elongated or dolichocephalic; for instance, of two skulls of nearly equal breadth, the one from a wild rabbit and the other from a large domestic kind, the former was 3.15 and the latter 4.3 inches in length.[145] One of the most marked distinctions in different races of men is that the skull in some is elongated, and in others rounded; and here the explanation suggested by the case of the rabbits may hold good... tall men may be compared with the larger and longer-bodied rabbits, all of which have elongated skulls or are dolichocephalic." Here Darwin directly compares the rabbit skull to man's skull. In "Descent of Man" Darwin wrote, "man bears in his bodily structure clear traces of his descent from some lower form. . ." (Chapter 2, Page 33) The skulls and skeleton to which Darwin refers in our letter may also be research for his The Descent of Man in which he describes the different variations of skulls and bones among individuals within a species and compares them also to other species. In fact Darwin writes on the first page of Descent of Man, "He who wishes to decide whether man is the modified descendant of some pre-existing form, would probably first inquire whether man varies, however slightly, in bodily structure ...[meaning skeleton]" Our letter is in very good condition, with a bit of old tape along right edge. Outstanding content.

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