Charles Darwin: The Beagle Letters

Publishers Weekly

In time for Darwin's 2009 bicentennial, the complete correspondence both to and from Charles Darwin during his five years circumnavigating the globe on the HMS Beagle, beginning in 1831, documents his growth as a naturalist and offers a picture of life in the England he left behind. With one exception, the letters were published in volume one of the projected 30-volume Correspondence of Charles Darwin. It's a pleasure to have the correspondence from this critical period in an accessible volume. It is fascinating to watch Darwin attempt to come to grips with the huge amount of data he collected and make sense of the patterns he observed. We get an intimate look at an adventurous young Darwin, so unlike his more familiar, sedentary older self who would write On the Origin of Species. The late Burkhardt, who founded the Darwin Correspondence Project, has filled in details and context as needed, and the introduction by Darwin biographer Browne is a joy to read. Drawings made by Conrad Martens, the Beagle's official artist for part of the voyage, not seen by PW. (Nov.)

Library Journal

In addition to Darwin's scholarly books and articles, his voluminous letters make him perhaps the most prolific correspondent in the history of science. This body of work has been edited and presented selectively in a variety of sources, most notably the projected-32-volume Correspondence of Charles Darwin(Cambridge Univ., 1985-), and can be viewed at Darwin Online (darwin-online.org.uk). What, then, is the value of these three new epistolary anthologies? The linchpin is the editorship of the late Burkhardt, founder of the Darwin Correspondence Project. Throughout, his careful selections, accompanied by clarifying footnotes, provide context and connections for the separate entries so that they can be read as a continuous narrative. Origins begins with a 12 year old's diary entries about his brother's rude behavior and proceeds chronologically, one chapter per one year's smattering of abridged correspondence. Included are letters on Darwin's studies, his family and personal life, and various reflections on subjects as varied as barnacles and poultry. Evolution picks up where Origins leaves off, with Darwin squarely in the midst of the public controversy surrounding his evolutionary theories. The methods of Darwin's genius are especially evident in his personal writings answering critics. Still, both books are essentially samplers, and, while enlightening, serve dilettante interests rather than scholarly needs.

By comparison, the sections in Origins covering Darwin's Beagle correspondence contain around two dozen significant letters, while the much more expansive The Beagle Letters reprints over 200 from thatsame period, with details on every port of call. The scrutiny of this period (1831-36) is appropriate in that these were formative years when Darwin conducted the major field research that led to his formulation of evolutionary theories. These letters also tell a gripping tale of high seas adventure and exploration.