Charles Darwin
The Autobiography of Charles Darwin Character List Charles Darwin The subject of this write-up is the author, Charles Darwin, the writer of The Origin of Species and one of the groundbreaking personages in the annals of the history of science. This provocative botanist began his career with the aim of becoming a cleric like his father but ended up altering his position on the age of the earth, the place of fossils, the likelihood of dinosaurs and why animals have gone into extinction. His journals are brief and swift, encompassing a huge space and time with astonishing proficiency. John Stevens Henslow One of the most renowned naturalists in British history, Henslow was the man in whose interest Audubon christened the Henslow sparrow. As a botanist, he began early to counsel Charles Darwin, steering him away from a career in the ministry and pursuant to achieving his status as a groundbreaking scientist. As a matter of fact, Henslow is a staggering personage in the history of the study of evolution: he was the one who initially planned to voyage on the HMS Beagle as the science officer of the ship. Because his wife opposed this voyage that was meant to take him away for two years, Henslow was able to prevail on the captain --- contrary to his earlier wish --- to permit Darwin to take his place. Charles Lyell Another important personage in the annals of the history of evolution is Lyell. He gave Darwin a copy of his celebrated Principles of Geology to take along with him on board HMS Beagle. Lyell has asked the captain to search for unpredictable rocks during the journey and, with Lyell’s publication at hand, Darwin’s capability to study these rock formations using the scientific angle provided by Lyell became an indispensable feature of observation which he later incorporated into the remainder of his studies in the course of the voyage. Capt. Robert Fitz-Roy Robert Fitz-Roy was the captain of the HMS Beagle whom Darwin said was devoted, diligent and focused and, with his great mood swings. Darwin was nearly not allowed to voyage in the ship, that journey that would change history for all time; not even after Henslow had laboured hard to have him take his place. Fitz-Roy claimed that he could decipher a man’s personality going by the shape of his nose and it would seem Darwin’s was less than desirable. All the same, Fitz-Roy accepted and everything underwent an alteration. Thomas Carlyle Carlyle is almost a huge personality in his own right when it comes to his professions which are philosophy, mathematics and history just as Darwin was in 19th century England. He was equally an irreconcilable racist who wrote many arguments in the advocacy of slavery and campaigning for its restoration following its abolition. Darwin’s view is contradictory and ultimately dismissive at worst: “As far as I could judge, I never met a man with a mind so ill adapted for scientific research.”
John Stevens Henslow
Henslow is one of the most famous botanists in British history and the man for whom Audubon named the Henslow sparrow. He was a naturalist who became an early mentor of Charles Darwin, facilitating his march away from a career in the ministry and toward becoming a revolutionary scientist. In fact, Henslow is a major figure in the history of the study of evolution: it was he who was originally scheduled to set sail on the HMS Beagle as the ship’s science officer. When Henslow’s wife expressed opposition to the idea of this two-year voyage, Henslow managed to persuade the captain—against his initial wishes—to allow Darwin to take his place.
Charles Lyell
Lyell is another major figure in the history of the study of evolution. He gave Darwin a copy of his groundbreaking Principles of Geology to take with him aboard the HMS Beagle. Lyell had instructed the captain to make a search for erratic boulders on the voyage and with a copy of Lyell’s book in hand, Darwin’s ability to study these rock formations through the scientific lens afforded by Lyell became an essential element of observation which he then applies to the rest of his studies during the voyage.
Capt. Robert FitzRoy
The captain of the HMS Beagle whom Darwin describes as dutiful, devoted, determined and given to great swings in temperament and mood. Darwin almost did not make it aboard the ship for the voyage that would forever change history, even after Henslow worked hard to campaign for him as a replacement. FitzRoy subscribed a strange superstitious belief that he could judge a man’s character by the shape of his nose and Darwin’s, it appears, fell short. Nonetheless, FitzRoy gave in and everything changed.
Thomas Carlyle
In his own right, Carlyle is nearly as towering figure in his own disciplines—philosophy, mathematics and history—in 19th century England as Darwin. He was also a rabid racist who wrote several polemics supporting the existence of slavery and calling for its reinstitution following abolition of the slave trade. Darwin’s opinion is ironic at best and absolutely dismissive at worst: “As far as I could judge, I never met a man with a mind so ill adapted for scientific research.”
