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LS signed “Charles Darwin,” three pages on two adjoining sheets, 5 x 8, Down letterhead, February 22, 1878. Letter to the distinguished physiologist William Bowman, in full: "I received your letter this morning, & it was quite impossible that you should receive an answer by 4 p.m. today. But this does not signify in the least for your proposal seems to me a very good one, & I most entirely agree with you that it is far better to suggest some special question, rather than to have a general discussion compiled from books. The rule is that the Essay must be 'illustrative of the wisdom & beneficence of the Almighty' would confine the subjects to be proposed. With respect to the Vegetable Kingdom I could suggest two or three subjects about which, as it seems to me, information is much required; but these subjects would require a long course of experiment & unfortunately there is hardly any one in this country who seems inclined to devote himself to experiments." In fine condition.
Addressed to the eminent anatomist Sir William Bowman, this letter reflects Darwin’s thoughtful approach to scientific inquiry, advocating for focused experimental investigation over purely theoretical or book-derived research. Particularly striking is Darwin’s candid lament that few in Britain were willing to undertake the sustained experimental work he believed necessary—an observation that underscores both the challenges of 19th-century scientific research and Darwin’s enduring commitment to empirical methodology.
From the personal collection of a lifelong collector, teacher, and traveler with a passion for world history. His collecting years ranged from the 1970s to the present day, meaning that several of the premier pieces have not been on the market in decades.
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