In 1880, when Charles Darwin was 71, he got a letter asking if he was a Christian. The letter-writer, worrywart F. A. McDermott, fussed, “If I am to have the pleasure of reading your books, I must feel that at the end I shall not have lost my faith in the New Testament. My reason to writing to you therefore is to ask you to give me a Yes or No to the question Do you believe in the New Testament.”
Nosy.
Just can’t read your book unless I’m sure you’re a vegan.
And pushy, since F.A. McDermott is very clear where he stands. Though to his credit, he assured Darwin the reply would be private.
Darwin usually did not discuss religion. He had taken a lot of heat from Christians who found that evolution by natural selection did not match stories in Genesis. More personally, Darwin’s wife Emma had different religious views than his. She took the kids to church on Sundays while he went walking.
Before I spend time and money on your delightful book, I must know your stand on gun control and whether you defend the American citizen’s right to bear arms.
Darwin replied to McDermott:
Dear Sir
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.
Yours faithfully
Ch. Darwin
He wrote “Private” across the top of the letter. Just in case. It did stay private for 100 years and more.
What happened after that? Perhaps McDermott never read Darwin’s books. He kept the letter. Perhaps he took it out to steel his determimation whenever he felt the impulse for some light reading pulling at him. Recently the letter was sold at auction and went for $197,000, more than Darwin’s letters usually fetch.
I have not been able to find a trigger warning on the cover of your appealing book. But before I start it, I want your views on bilingual education and whether you support the teaching of a second language and indeed third and fourth languages in elementary school.
Darwin wasn’t sorry in the sense of remorse, of feeling at fault and hoping to behave differently. As a writer he was exact, and sometimes eloquent, and he could apologize appropriately when it was appropriate. This is more of a #sorrynotsorry. I think he knew McDermott wanted him to say something different – perhaps hoped to shame him into saying something different – and knew his answer would be unwelcome. As it was to others he cared about.
So he was sad. But honest.
