charles_darwin

28
CHARLES DARWIN AND THE ORIGIN OF SPECIES
Although Darwin is best remembered for The Origin of Species,
the work on ‘‘Species,’’ as Darwin called it in his diary, was not his
sole occupation after 1836. To take advantage of his newly won fame,
Darwin had to socialize. In March 1837, he rented an apartment on
Great Marlborough Street, in the center of London, and ‘‘went a little
into society.’’ 32 He attended dinner parties and met famous men of the
day such as the writer and historian Thomas Carlyle (1795–1881). He
even met his idol Alexander von Humboldt while having breakfast
with the eminent Scottish geologist Sir Roderick Murchison (1792–
1871): because von Humboldt was the best-known scientist-explorer
of the day, this meeting was the highlight of this period. He read
papers at the meetings of the Geological and Zoological societies. And
he met and befriended Charles Lyell, a friendship that would continue
until Lyell’s death in 1875.
Equally important to Darwin, he married Emma Wedgwood, his
cousin. He had always enjoyed the company of the Wedgwoods:
Josiah Wedgwood was his favorite uncle; Frances and Emma were
his favorite female cousins; and Maer Hall, where the Wedgwoods
lived, was a second home to him. Emma and Charles found that they
were both interested in being more than just companions and, to the
delight of both families, the couple married on 29 January 1839.
The domestication of Darwin was complete. In less than a decade,
he had changed from Cambridge reveler to a family man. The
Darwins’ first child, William, was born in 1839 and they had nine
more children. Seven of the ten children survived into adulthood:
William (1839–1914), Henrietta (1843–1927), George (1845–1912),
Elizabeth (1847–1926), Francis (1848–1925), Leonard (1850–1943),
and Horace (1851–1943). George and Francis became distinguished
scientists themselves.
A wife (and children) meant responsibilities that Darwin was
happy to accept. The Darwins moved to a house on Upper Gower Street,
London, and, in September 1842, to a sprawling house in the village of
Downe in Kent. Darwin learned to live on a budget and became an
expert at it. Darwin also became concerned about the state of his family.
He worried as much about his children’s health as he did about his scientific
work. The death of his daughter Anne, affectionately known as
Annie, in 1851, was one of the most traumatic events of his life.
His marriage, the move to the countryside, and the friends he
made are all reminders of the ordinariness of Darwin. It was Darwin
who wrote, when thinking about his future,
My God, it is intolerable to think of spending ones whole life,
like a neuter bee, working, working & nothing after all.—No,