“Darwin’s Head” - “CAMBRIDGE 1828-1831.”
Darwin writes, “A few years ago the secretaries of a German psychological society asked me earnestly by letter for a photograph of myself; and some time afterwards I received the proceedings of one of the meetings, in which it seemed that the shape of my head had been the subject of a public discussion, and one of the speakers declared that I had the bump of reverence developed enough for ten priests.” The shape surmises that Darwin would have been a devoted clergyman. The bump implies that he would have appealed to great reverence from the masses. Darwin’s account relating his head confirms that he is not an unspiritual or anti-Christian.
“The Voyage of the Beagle” - "VOYAGE OF THE 'BEAGLE' FROM DECEMBER 27, 1831, TO OCTOBER 2, 1836."
Darwin explains, “The voyage of the "Beagle" has been by far the most important event in my life, and has determined my whole career;…I have always felt that I owe to the voyage the first real training or education of my mind; I was led to attend closely to several branches of natural history, and thus my powers of observation were improved, though they were always fairly developed.” The voyage is material in Darwin’s existence for it permits him to educate himself about naturalism. Observing the environments which they traversed throughout the voyage increased his understanding of nature. Accordingly, the voyage is equivalent to a great education that enlightens Darwin impressively.
Coral Reefs - “FROM MY RETURN TO ENGLAND (OCTOBER 2, 1836) TO MY MARRIAGE (JANUARY 29)”
Darwin recounts, “No other work of mine was begun in so deductive a spirit as this, for the whole theory was thought out on the west coast of South America, before I had seen a true coral reef. I had therefore only to verify and extend my views by a careful examination of living reefs.” Deductions concerning the elevation of the coast influence Darwin’s theory concerning the development of coral reefs. Accordingly, the coast offers general hints which influence Darwin to establish the connection between “elevation of the land” and the coral reefs’ growth.
