The way we were

Approaching Storm, Chatsworth, Illinois

Darwin’s Children Drew All Over the On The Origin of Species Manuscript

The Cambridge University Library has given the picture above the descriptive name “The Battle of the Fruit and Vegetable Soldiers,” and so indeed it seems to be. Perhaps inspired by the 1839-1842 Anglo-Afghan War, and filtered through the Darwin household’s fascination with plants and gardening?

The second picture above is seemingly directly inspired by their father’s work. Birds are in the act of catching a spider and a gnat or bee, while flowers and a butterfly appear in remarkable detail.

Amazingly, the Darwin kids even got into their mother’s diary:

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