Charles Darwin

Explore 19 quotes by Charles Darwin

There is grandeur in this view of life...whilst this planet has gone cycling on according to the fixed law of gravity, from so simple a beginning endless forms most beautiful and most wonderful have been, and are being, evolved.

Charles Darwin

On the Origin of Species

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Topic

Human evolution Creation of man Evolution Human origins

Author

Charles Darwin

Source

On the Origin of Species

Genre

Scientific literature

Language

English

Time

1859 1850s 19th century

Authentication Score 2

Original Citation

Darwin, Charles. On the Origin of Species. London: John Murray, 1859, ch. 14.

Current Citation

Darwin, Charles. The Origin of the Species, edited by William Bynum. Penguin, 2009, ch. 14.

Man with all his noble qualities, with sympathy which feels for the most debased, with benevolence which extends not only to other men but to the humblest living creature, with his god-like intellect which has penetrated into the movements and constitution of the solar system—with all these exalted powers—Man still bears in his bodily frame the indelible stamp of his lowly origin.

Charles Darwin

The Descent of Man

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Topic

Human origins Human nature Human evolution Evolution

Author

Charles Darwin

Source

The Descent of Man

Genre

Scientific literature

Language

English

Time

1871 1870s 19th century

Authentication Score 3

Original Citation

Darwin, Charles. The Descent of Man, and Selection in Relation to Sex. London: John Murray, 1871, pt. 3, ch. 21.

Current Citation

Darwin, Charles. The Descent of Man. Penguin Classics, 2004, pt. 3, ch. 21.

I have called this principle, by which each slight variation, if useful, is preserved, by the term of Natural Selection.

Charles Darwin

On the Origin of the Species

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Topic

Natural selection Evolution

Author

Charles Darwin

Source

On the Origin of the Species

Genre

Scientific literature

Language

English

Time

1859 1850s 19th century

Authentication Score 2

Original Citation

Darwin, Charles. On the Origin of the Species. London: John Murray, 1859, ch. 3.

Current Citation

Darwin, Charles. The Origin of the Species, edited by William Bynum. Penguin, 2009, ch. 3.

We thus learn that man is descended from a hairy, tailed quadruped, probably arboreal in its habits, and an inhabitant of the Old World.

Charles Darwin

The Descent of Man

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Topic

Human origins Evolution

Author

Charles Darwin

Source

The Descent of Man

Genre

Scientific literature

Language

English

Time

1871 1870s 19th century

Authentication Score 3

Original Citation

Darwin, Charles. The Descent of Man, and Selection in Relation to Sex. London: John Murray, 1871, pt. 3, ch. 21.

Current Citation

Darwin, Charles. The Descent of Man. Penguin Classics, 2004, pt. 3, ch. 21.

When the views advanced by me in this volume, and by Mr. Wallace, or when analogous views on the origin of species are generally admitted, we can dimly foresee that there will be a considerable revolution in natural history.

Charles Darwin

On the Origin of Species

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Topic

Evolution

Author

Charles Darwin

Source

On the Origin of Species

Genre

Scientific literature

Statement Type

Prophecies and predictions

Language

English

Time

1879 1870s 19th century

Authentication Score 3

Original Citation

Darwin, Charles. On the Origin of Species. 6th Edition. London: John Murray, 1879, ch. 14.

Current Citation

Darwin, Charles. The Origin of the Species, edited by William Bynum. Penguin, 2009, ch. 14.

Owing to this struggle for life, any variation, however slight and from whatever cause proceeding, if it be in any degree profitable to an individual of any species, in its infinitely complex relations to other organic beings and to external nature, will tend to the preservation of that individual, and will generally be inherited by its offspring. The offspring, also, will thus have a better chance of surviving.

Charles Darwin

On the Origin of Species

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Topic

Natural selection Evolution

Author

Charles Darwin

Source

On the Origin of Species

Genre

Scientific literature

Language

English

Time

1859 1850s 19th century

Authentication Score 2

Original Citation

Darwin, Charles. On the Origin of Species. London: John Murray, 1859, ch. 3.

Current Citation

Darwin, Charles. On the Origin of Species, edited by William Bynum. Penguin Classics, 2009, ch. 3.

The shield may be as important for victory, as the sword or spear.

Charles Darwin

On the Origin of Species

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Topic

Survival Natural selection

Author

Charles Darwin

Source

On the Origin of Species

Genre

Scientific literature

Language

English

Time

1859 1850s 19th century

Authentication Score 2

Original Citation

Darwin, Charles. On the Origin of the Species. London: John Murray, 1859, ch. 4.

Current Citation

Darwin, Charles. The Origin of the Species, edited by William Bynum. Penguin, 2009, ch. 4.

From the war of nature, from famine and death, the most exalted object which we are capable of conceiving, namely, the production of the higher animals, directly follows.

Charles Darwin

On the Origin of Species

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Topic

Natural selection Evolution

Author

Charles Darwin

Source

On the Origin of Species

Genre

Scientific literature

Language

English

Time

1859 1850s 19th century

Authentication Score 2

Original Citation

Darwin, Charles. On the Origin of Species. London: John Murray, 1859, ch. 14.

Current Citation

Darwin, Charles. The Origin of the Species, edited by William Bynum. Penguin, 2009, ch. 14.

If it could be demonstrated that any complex organ existed, which could not possibly have been formed by numerous, successive, slight modifications, my theory would absolutely break down. But I can find out no such case.

Charles Darwin

On the Origin of Species

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More information about this quote

Topic

Natural selection Evolution

Author

Charles Darwin

Source

On the Origin of Species

Genre

Scientific literature

Language

English

Time

1859 1850s 19th century

Authentication Score 2

Original Citation

Darwin, Charles. On the Origin of Species. London: John Murray, 1859, ch. 6.

Current Citation

Darwin, Charles. The Origin of the Species, edited by William Bynum. Penguin, 2009, ch. 6.

The Simiadae then branched off into two great stems, the New World and Old World monkeys; and from the latter, at a remote period, Man, the wonder and glory of the Universe, proceeded.

Charles Darwin

The Descent of Man

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Topic

Human origins Evolution

Author

Charles Darwin

Source

The Descent of Man

Genre

Scientific literature

Language

English

Time

1871 1870s 19th century

Authentication Score 3

Original Citation

Darwin, Charles. The Descent of Man, and Selection in Relation to Sex. London: John Murray, 1871, pt. 2, ch. 6.

Current Citation

Darwin, Charles. The Descent of Man. Penguin Classics, 2004, pt. 2, ch. 6.

Both in space and time, we seem to be brought somewhat near to that great fact—that mystery of mysteries—the first appearance of new beings on this earth.

Charles Darwin

The Voyage of the Beagle

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Topic

Origin of life

Author

Charles Darwin

Source

The Voyage of the Beagle

Genre

Scientific literature

Language

English

Time

1835 1830s 19th century

Authentication Score 3

Original Citation

Darwin, Charles. Journal entry. 8 Oct. 1835.

Current Citation

Darwin, Charles. "The Voyage of the Beagle." The Origin of Species and The Voyage of the Beagle. Everyman's Library, 2003, ch. 17.

Ignorance more frequently begets confidence than does knowledge: it is those who know little, and not those who know much, who so positively assert that this or that problem will never be solved by science.

Charles Darwin

The Descent of Man

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Topic

Ignorance Science

Author

Charles Darwin

Source

The Descent of Man

Genre

Scientific literature

Language

English

Time

1871 1870s 19th century

Authentication Score 3

Original Citation

Darwin, Charles. The Descent of Man, and Selection in Relation to Sex. London: John Murray, 1871, introduction.

Current Citation

Darwin, Charles. The Descent of Man. Penguin Classics, 2004, introduction.

What a book a Devil's chaplain might write on the clumsy, wasteful, blundering low, & horridly cruel works of nature!

Charles Darwin

More information about this quote

Topic

Nature Evolution

Author

Charles Darwin

Source

Letters of Charles Darwin

Medium

Letter

Language

English

Time

1856 1850s 19th century

Authentication Score 3

Original Citation

Darwin, Charles. Letter to J. D. Hooker. 13 July 1856.

Current Citation

Darwin, Charles. "To J. D. Hooker, 13 July 1856." The Correspondence of Charles Darwin, edited by Frederick Burkhardt and James A. Secord. Vol. 6: 1856-1857. Cambridge University Press, 1990, no. 1924.

Animals whom we have made our slaves we do not like to consider our equals.

Charles Darwin

More information about this quote

Topic

Man and animals Animals

Author

Charles Darwin

Source

Notebooks of Charles Darwin

Medium

Personal journal

Language

English

Time

1838 1830s 19th century

Authentication Score 0

Original Citation

Darwin, Charles. "Notebook B." Transmutation of Species. 1837-1838, p. 231.

Current Citation

Darwin, Charles. "Transmutation of Species: Notebook B [1837-1838]." Charles Darwin's Notebooks, 1836–1844, transcribed and edited by David Kohn. Cambridge University Press, 2009.

With me the horrid doubt always arises whether the convictions of man's mind, which has been developed from the mind of the lower animals, are of any value or at all trustworthy.

Charles Darwin

More information about this quote

Topic

Human cognition The mind Evolution

Author

Charles Darwin

Source

Letters of Charles Darwin

Medium

Letter

Language

English

Time

1881 1880s 19th century

Authentication Score 2

Original Citation

Darwin, Charles. Letter to William Graham. 3 July 1881.

Current Citation

Darwin, Charles. "To William Graham, 3 July 1881." The Correspondence of Charles Darwin, edited by Frederick Burkhardt and James A. Secord. Vol. 29: 1870. Cambridge University Press, 2022, no. 13230.

For my own part I would as soon be descended from that heroic little monkey, who braved his dread enemy in order to save the life of his keeper; or from that old baboon, who descending from the mountains, carried away in triumph his young comrade from a crowd of astonished dogs--as from a savage who delights to torture his enemies, offers up bloody sacrifices, practices infanticide without remorse, treats his wives like slaves, knows no decency, and is haunted by the grossest superstitions.

Charles Darwin

The Descent of Man, and Selection in Relation to Sex

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Topic

Human origins Evolution

Author

Charles Darwin

Source

The Descent of Man, and Selection in Relation to Sex

Genre

Scientific literature

Language

English

Time

1871 1870s 19th century

Authentication Score 3

Original Citation

Darwin, Charles. The Descent of Man, and Selection in Relation to Sex. London: John Murray, 1871, pt. 3, ch. 21.

Current Citation

Darwin, Charles. The Descent of Man. Penguin Classics, 2004, pt. 3, ch. 21.

To kill an error is as good a service as, and sometimes even better than, the establishing a new truth or fact.

Charles Darwin

More information about this quote

Topic

Scientific progress Progress Science

Author

Charles Darwin

Source

Letters of Charles Darwin

Medium

Letter

Language

English

Time

1879 1870s 19th century

Authentication Score 1

Original Citation

Darwin, Charles. Letter to A. S. Wilson, 5 Mar. 1879.

Current Citation

Darwin, Charles. "To A. S. Wilson, 5 March 1879." The Correspondence of Charles Darwin, edited by Frederick Burkhardt and James A. Secord. Vol. 27: 1879. Cambridge University Press, 2020, no. 11917.

I had no intention to write atheistically. But I own that I cannot see as plainly as others do, and as I should wish to do, evidence of design and beneficence on all sides of us. There seems to me too much misery in the world.

Charles Darwin

More information about this quote

Topic

Problem of evil

Author

Charles Darwin

Source

Letters of Charles Darwin

Medium

Letter

Language

English

Time

1860 1860s 19th century

Authentication Score 3

Original Citation

Darwin, Charles. Letter to Asa Gray. 22 May 1860.

Current Citation

Darwin, Charles. Letter to Asa Gray, 22 May [1860]." The Correspondence of Charles Darwin, edited by Frederick Burkhardt and James A. Secord. Vol. 8: 1860. Cambridge University Press, 2022, no. 2814.

I cannot look at the universe as the result of blind chance, yet I can see no evidence of beneficent design, or indeed of design of any kind, in the details.

Charles Darwin

More information about this quote

Topic

Origin of the universe

Author

Charles Darwin

Source

Letters of Charles Darwin

Medium

Letter

Language

English

Time

1870 1870s 19th century

Authentication Score 3

Original Citation

Darwin, Charles. Letter to J. D. Hooker. 12 July 1870.

Current Citation

Darwin, Charles. "To J. D. Hooker, 12 July 1870." The Correspondence of Charles Darwin, edited by Frederick Burkhardt and James A. Secord. Vol. 18: 1870. Cambridge University Press, 2010, no. 7273.