The Autobiography of Charles Darwin is an autobiography by the English naturalist Charles Darwin. Darwin wrote the text, which he entitled Recollections of the Development of my Mind and Character, for his family. He states that he started writing it on about May 28, 1876 and had finished it by August 3. The text was published in 1887 (five years after Darwin's death) by John Murray as part of The life and letters of Charles Darwin, including an autobiographical chapter. The text printed in Life and Letters was edited by Darwin's son Francis Darwin, who removed several passages about Darwin's critical views of God and Christianity. The omitted passages were later restored by Darwin's granddaughter Nora Barlow in a 1958 edition to commemorate the 100th anniversary of the publication of The Origin of Species. This edition was published in London by Collins under the title of The Autobiography of Charles Darwin 1809-1882. With the original omissions restored. Edited and with appendix and notes by his granddaughter Nora Barlow.
Those who read this reissue of Charles Darwin's AUTOBIOGRAPHY (1876), first published in 1887, will surely benefit from this great naturalist's own recollections of the development of his scientific theory of organic evolution. Furthermore, the included letters, edited by his son Francis Darwin, offer salient insights into the personal life and scientific research of this famous Victorian geobiologist. Within these pages, one reads about Darwin's fortuitous global voyage on the HMS Beagle and subsequent productive life at Down House (despite chronic illness). Five chapters focus on the preparation, publication, and critical reviews of ON THE ORIGIN OF SPECIES (1859), the naturalist's major contribution to evolutionary thought.
Unfortunately, his wife, Emma Wedgwood Darwin, had deleted the references to God and Christianity from the posthumously published AUTOBIOGRAPHY. Not until 1958 did an unexpurgated version of this work appear in print!
Fortunately, Chapter 3 does include some of Darwin's final ideas on religion and theology. It is clear that this evolutionist was always an agnostic reticent to express or publish his thoughts on religion and theology. Even so, his personal beliefs neither verify nor falsify the evolved claims of religionists and theologians. It suffices that Darwin's theory of evolution is atheistic, both in principle and intent.
