In my simplicity, I remember wondering why every gentleman did not become an ornithologist. Charles Darwin More Quotes by Charles Darwin More Quotes From Charles Darwin The plow is one of the most ancient and most valuable of man's inventions; but long before he existed the land was in fact regularly plowed, and still continues to be thus plowed by earthworms. It may be doubted whether there are many other animals which have played so important a part in the history of the world, as have these lowly organized creatures. Charles Darwin garden inspirational men ... not one living species will transmit its unaltered likeness to a distant futurity. Charles Darwin origin-of-species transmit species Hence, a traveller should be a botanist, for in all views plants form the chief embellishment. Charles Darwin form plant views It's not the strongest, but the most adaptable that survive. Charles Darwin adaptable strongest It is a truly wonderful fact - the wonder of which we are apt to overlook from familiarity - that all animals and all plants throughout all time and space should be related to each other in group subordinate to group. Charles Darwin space animal facts This preservation of favourable variations and the destruction of injurious variations, I call Natural Selection, or the Survival of the Fittest. Variations neither useful nor injurious would not be affected by natural selection and would be left a fluctuating element. Charles Darwin survival would-be science Nothing is easier than to admit in words the truth of the universal struggle for life, or more difficult--at least I have found it so--than constantly to bear this conclusion in mind. Charles Darwin struggle bears mind ...for the shield may be as important for victory, as the sword or spear. Charles Darwin victory important may It is easy to specify the individual objects of admiration in these grand scenes; but it is not possible to give an adequate idea of the higher feelings of wonder, astonishment, and devotion, which fill and elevate the mind. Charles Darwin feelings giving ideas Thus we have given to man a pedigree of prodigious length, but not, it may be said, of noble quality. Charles Darwin quality noble men I ought, or I ought not, constitute the whole of morality. Charles Darwin ought morality whole I am sorry to have to inform you that I do not believe in the Bible as a divine revelation, & therefore not in Jesus Christ as the Son of God. Charles Darwin sorry believe jesus Such simple instincts as bees making a beehive could be sufficient to overthrow my whole theory. Charles Darwin instinct simple bees It is not the most intellectual of the species that survives; it is not the strongest that survives; but the species that survives is the one that is able best to adapt and adjust to the changing environment in which it finds itself. Charles Darwin changing-environment able intellectual As natural selection works solely by and for the good of each being, all corporeal and mental endowments will tend to progress toward perfection. Charles Darwin progress perfection natural In the struggle for survival, the fittest win out at the expense of their rivals because they succeed in adapting themselves best to their environment. Charles Darwin strength change struggle When it was first said that the sun stood still and world turned round, the common sense of mankind declared the doctrine false; but the old saying of Vox populi, vox Dei [the voice of the people is the voice of God], as every philosopher knows, cannot be trusted in science. Charles Darwin voice eye people I can indeed hardly see how anyone ought to wish Christianity to be true for if so the plain language of the text seems to show that the men who do not believe, and this would include my father, brother and almost all of my friends, will be everlastingly punished. And this is a damnable doctrine. Charles Darwin family atheist brother The limit of man s knowledge in any subject possesses a high interest which is perhaps increased by its close neighbourhood to the realms of imagination. Charles Darwin limits imagination men If the misery of the poor be caused not by the laws of nature, but by our institutions, great is our sin. Charles Darwin nature inspirational science
