The Autobiography of Charles Darwin Summary

The Autobiography of Charles Darwin Summary Acting on the request of a German editor, Charles Darwin (1809-1882) began to write his autobiography. He was aged 67. Nora Barlow who was his granddaughter and editor points out to us that he altered it a number of times. Darwin’s mother died when he was 8 but he made reference to a handful of details about her. On the other hand, he devotes quite some time to talking about his illustrious father who was a veteran doctor. Darwin’s father was approximately 6 feet 2 inches with a weight that stood at more than 336 pounds. Owing to the older Darwin’s affluence, Charles could safely stay away from any professional engagement. Darwin was a mischievous lad but his sisters had to instill the virtues of compassion and conducts in him. At a suitable time, he evinced passion for art collection, principally beetles, coins, shells and minerals. He hated boarding school but took delight in outdoor activities including shooting snipes with his dogs. Darwin recalls the depiction of him as a youngster by his father: “You care for nothing but shooting, dogs and rat-catching, and you will be a disgrace to yourself and all of your family”. While studying in the Medical Faculty at the University of Edinburgh, he performed duties devoid of anesthesia which ran contrary to his father’s longing that he graduate as a physician. He loathed the sight of blood. While at Cambridge, he found most of his classes and professors rather boring, save for his botany instructor, John Stevens Henslow who doubled as his tutor and hiking associate. The grand project to make him a member of the clergy hit the rock at Cambridge since Darwin began to question the Thirty-nine Articles of the Church of England. For a period of 5 years and 3 days from 1831, contrary to his father’s better judgement, he voyaged with Capt. Fitz-Roy on board The Beagle. He often disagreed with Fitz-Roy who suffered from emotional tantrum that demanded more urbanity from Darwin. They had conflicting views on slavery which Fitz-Roy defended while Darwin hated it. He had Lyell’s Principles of Geology with him, read Milton and assembled assorted specimens that he took back to Britain. Darwin got married to his cousin, Emma Wedgewood 28 months following his return. It was a happy marriage that gave rise to 10 offspring. As regards religious persuasions, Darwin adduces 4 motives that underlie his position that the Old Testament is spurious. On the strength of his discoveries from the laws of nature, he has shunned his acceptance of supernatural happenings. Darwin jettisons Bishop Parley’s argument in favour of insightful structure: “Everything in nature is the result of fixed laws”. The Christian deity has no feeling since he subjects guiltless people to suffering and condemns non-believers to hell. Darwin points out that he has no understanding of “the mystery of the beginning of all things”, as a result of which he thinks of himself an agnostic. He makes diagrams of the celebrated Victorian men he has come to know, but his failing health has for a long time kept him from seeing friends or sailing abroad. He speaks of his books, notably Origins of Species, pointing out that he would not budge if Wallace or he won the praise for the theory of evolution. He attributes his wealth to his modest skills. He has been thoughtful, resourceful, and rational.