The Note-Books of Samuel Butler

1835.  Dec. 4.  Samuel Butler born at Langar Rectory, Nottingham, son of the Rev. Thomas Butler, who was the son of Dr. Samuel Butler, Headmaster of Shrewsbury School from 1798 to 1836, and afterwards Bishop of Lichfield.

1843-4.  Spent the winter in Rome and Naples with his family.

1846.  Went to school at Allesley, near Coventry.

1848.  Went to school at Shrewsbury under Dr. Kennedy.

Went to Italy for the second time with his family.

First heard the music of Handel.

1854.  Entered at St. John’s College, Cambridge.

1858.  Bracketed 12th in the first class of the Classical Tripos and took his degree.

Went to London and began to prepare for ordination, living among the poor and doing parish work:  this led to his doubting the efficacy of infant baptism and hence to his declining to take orders.

1859.  Sailed for New Zealand and started sheep-farming in Canterbury Province:  while in the colony he wrote much for the Press of Christchurch, N.Z.

1862.  Dec. 20.  “Darwin on The Origin of Species.  A Dialogue,” unsigned but written by Butler, appeared in the Press and was followed by correspondence to which Butler contributed.

1863.  A First Year in Canterbury Settlement:  made out of his letters home to his family together with two articles reprinted from the Eagle (the magazine of St. John’s College, Cambridge):  MS. lost.

1863.  “Darwin among the Machines,” a letter signed “Cellarius” written by Butler, appeared in the Press.

1864.  Sold out his sheep run and returned to England in company with Charles Paine Pauli, whose acquaintance he had made in the colony.  He brought back enough to enable him to live quietly, settled for good at 15 Clifford’s Inn, London, and began life as a painter, studying at Cary’s, Heatherley’s and the South Kensington Art Schools and exhibiting pictures occasionally at the Royal Academy and other exhibitions:  while studying art he made the acquaintance of, among others, Charles Gogin, William Ballard and Thomas William Gale Butler.

“Family Prayers”:  a small painting by Butler.

1865.  “Lucubratio Ebria,” an article, containing variations of the view in “Darwin among the Machines,” sent by Butler from England, appeared in the Press.

The Evidence for the Resurrection of Jesus Christ as contained in the Four Evangelists critically examined:  a pamphlet of viii+48 pp. written in New Zealand:  the conclusion arrived at is that the evidence is insufficient to support the belief that Christ died and rose from the dead:  MS. lost, probably used up in writing The Fair Haven.

1869-70.  Was in Italy for four months, his health having broken down in consequence of over-work.

1870 or 1871.  First meeting with Miss Eliza Mary Ann Savage, from whom he drew Alethea in The Way of All Flesh.

1872.  Erewhon or Over the Range:  a Work of Satire and Imagination:  MS. in the British Museum.

1873.  Erewhon translated into Dutch.

The Fair Haven:  an ironical work, purporting to be “in defence of the miraculous element in our Lord’s ministry upon earth, both as against rationalistic impugners and certain orthodox defenders,” written under the pseudonym of John Pickard Owen with a memoir of the supposed author by his brother William Bickersteth Owen.  This book reproduces—­the substance of his pamphlet on the resurrection:  MS. at Christchurch, New Zealand.

1874.  “Mr. Heatherley’s Holiday,” his most important oil painting, exhibited at the Royal Academy Exhibition, now in the National Gallery of British Art.

1876.  Having invested his money in various companies that failed, one of which had its works in Canada, and having spent much time during the last few years in that country, trying unsuccessfully to save part of his capital, he now returned to London, and during the next ten years experienced serious financial difficulties.

First meeting with Henry Festing Jones.

1877.  Life and Habit:  an Essay after a Completer View of Evolution:  dedicated to Charles Paine Pauli:  although dated 1878 the book was published on Butler’s birthday, 4th December, 1877:  MS. at the Schools, Shrewsbury.

1878.  “A Psalm of Montreal” in the Spectator:  There are probably many MSS. of this poem in existence given by Butler to friends:  one, which he gave to H. F. Jones, is in the Fitzwilliam Museum, Cambridge.

A Portrait of Butler, painted in this year by himself, now at St. John’s College, Cambridge.

1879.  Evolution Old and New:  A comparison of the theories of Buffon, Dr. Erasmus Darwin and Lamarck with that of Charles Darwin:  MS. in the Fitzwilliam Museum, Cambridge.

A Clergyman’s Doubts and God the Known and God the Unknown appeared in the Examiner:  MS. lost.

Erewhon translated into German.

1880.  Unconscious Memory:  A comparison between the theory of Dr. Ewald Hering, Professor of Physiology in the University of Prague, and the Philosophy of the Unconscious of Dr. Edward von Hartmann, with translations from both these authors and preliminary chapters bearing upon Life and Habit, Evolution Old and New, and Charles Darwin’s Edition of Dr. Krause’s Erasmus Darwin.

A Portrait of Butler, painted in this year by himself, now at the Schools, Shrewsbury.  A third portrait of Butler, painted by himself about this time, is at Christchurch, New Zealand.

1881.  A property at Shrewsbury, in which under his grandfather’s will he had a reversionary interest contingent on his surviving his father, was re-settled so as to make his reversion absolute:  he mortgaged this reversion and bought small property near London:  this temporarily alleviated his financial embarrassment but added to his work, for he spent much time in the management of the houses, learnt book-keeping by double-entry and kept elaborate accounts.

Alps and Sanctuaries of Piedmont and the Canton Ticino illustrated by the author, Charles Gogin and Henry Festing Jones:  an account of his holiday travels with dissertations on most of the subjects that interested him:  MS. with H. F. Jones.

1882.  A new edition of Evolution Old and New, with a short preface alluding to the recent death of Charles Darwin, an appendix and an index.

1883.  Began to compose music as nearly as he could in the style of Handel.

1884.  Selections from Previous Works with “A Psalm of Montreal” and “Remarks on G. J. Romanes’ Mental Evolution in Animals.”

1885.  Death of Miss Savage.

Gavottes, Minuets, Fugues and other short pieces for the piano by
Samuel Butler and Henry Festing Jones:  MS. with H. F. Jones.

1886.  Holbein’s La Danse:  a note on a drawing in the Museum at Basel.

Stood, unsuccessfully, for the Professorship of Fine Arts in the
University of Cambridge.

Dec. 29.  Death of his father and end of his financial
embarrassments.

1887.  Engaged Alfred Emery Cathie as clerk and general attendant.

Luck or Cunning as the main means of Organic Modification?  An attempt to throw additional light upon Charles Darwin’s theory of Natural Selection.

Was entertained at dinner by the Municipio of Varallo-Sesia on the Sacro Monte.

1888.  Took up photography.

1888.  Ex Voto:  an account of the Sacro Monte or New Jerusalem at Varallo-Sesia, with some notice of Tabachetti’s remaining work at Crea and illustrations from photographs by the author:  MS. at Varallo-Sesia.

Narcissus:  a Cantata in the Handelian form, words and music by Samuel Butler and Henry Festing Jones:  MS. of the piano score in the British Museum.  MS. of the orchestral score with H. F. Jones.

In this and the two following years contributed some articles to the Universal Review, most of which were republished after his death as Essays on Life, Art, and Science (1904).

1890.  Began to study counterpoint with William Smith Rockstro and continued to do so until Rockstro’s death in 1895.

1892.  The Humour of Homer.  A Lecture delivered at the Working Men’s College, Great Ormond Street, London, January 30, 1892, reprinted with preface and additional matter from the Eagle.

Went to Sicily, the first of many visits, to collect evidence in support of his theory identifying the Scheria and Ithaca of the Odyssey with Trapani and the neighbouring Mount Eryx.

1893.  “L’Origine Siciliana dell’ Odissea.”  Extracted from the Rassegna della Letteratura Siciliana.

“On the Trapanese Origin of the Odyssey” (Translation).

1894.  Ex Voto translated into Italian by Cavaliere Angelo Rizzetti.

“Ancora sull’ origine dell’ Odissea.”  Extracted from the Rassegna della Letteratura Siciliana.

1895.  Went to Greece and the Troad to make up his mind about the topography of the Iliad.

1896.  The Life and Letters of Dr. Samuel Butler (his grandfather) in so far as they illustrate the scholastic, religious and social life of England from 1790-1840:  MS. at the Shrewsbury Town Library or Museum.

His portrait painted by Charles Gogin, now in the National Portrait Gallery.

1897.  The Authoress of the Odyssey, where and when she wrote, who she was, the use she made of the Iliad and how the poem grew under her hands:  MS. at Trapani.

1897.  Death of Charles Paine Pauli.

1898.  The Iliad rendered into English prose:  MS. at St. John’s College, Cambridge.

1899.  Shakespeare’s Sonnets reconsidered and in part rearranged, with introductory chapters, notes and a reprint of the original 1609 edition:  MS. with R. A. Streatfeild.

1900.  The Odyssey rendered into English prose:  MS. at Aci-Reale, Sicily.

1901.  Erewhon Revisited twenty years later both by the Original Discoverer of the Country and by his Son:  this was a return not only to Erewhon but also to the subject of the pamphlet on the resurrection.  MS. in the British Museum.

1902.  June, 18.  Death of Samuel Butler.

1902.  “Samuel Butler,” an article by Richard Alexander Streatfeild in the Monthly Review (September).

“Samuel Butler,” an obituary notice by Henry Festing Jones in the Eagle (December).

1903.  Samuel Butler Records and Memorials, a collection of obituary notices with a note by R. A. Streatfeild, his literary executor, printed for private circulation:  with reproduction of a photograph of Butler taken at Varallo in 1889.

The Way of All Flesh, a novel, written between 1872 and 1885, published by R. A. Streatfeild:  MS. with Mr. R. A. Streatfeild.

1904.  Seven Sonnets and A Psalm of Montreal printed for private circulation.

Essays on Life, Art and Science, being reprints of his Universal Review articles, together with two lectures.

Ulysses, an Oratorio:  Words and music by Samuel Butler and Henry Festing Jones:  MS. of the piano score in the British Museum, MS. of the orchestral score with H. F. Jones.

“The Author of Erewhon,” an article by Desmond MacCarthy in the Independent Review (September).

1904.  Diary of a Journey through North Italy to Sicily (in the spring of 1903, undertaken for the purpose of leaving the MSS. of three books by Samuel Butler at Varallo-Sesia, Aci-Reale and Trapani) by Henry Festing Jones, with reproduction of Gogin’s portrait of Butler.  Printed for private circulation.

1907.  Nov.  Between this date and May, 1910, some Extracts from The Note-Books of Samuel Butler appeared in the New Quarterly Review under the editorship of Desmond MacCarthy.

1908.  July 16.  The first Erewhon dinner at Pagani’s Restaurant, Great Portland Street; 32 persons present:  the day was fixed by Professor Marcus Hartog.

Second Edition of The Way of All Flesh.

1909.  God the Known and God the Unknown republished in book form from the Examiner (1879) by A. C. Fifield, with prefatory note by R. A. Streatfeild.

July 15.  The second Erewhon dinner at Pagani’s; 53 present:  the day was fixed by Mr. George Bernard Shaw.

1910.  Feb. 10.  Samuel Butler Author of Erewhon, a Paper read before the British Association of Homoeopathy at 43 Russell Square, W.C., by Henry Festing Jones.  Some of Butler’s music was performed by Miss Grainger Kerr, Mr. R. A. Streatfeild, Mr. J. A. Fuller Maitland and Mr. H. J. T. Wood, the Secretary of the Association.

June.  Unconscious Memory, a new edition entirely reset with a note by R. A. Streatfeild and an introduction by Professor Marcus Hartog, M.A., D.Sc., F.L.S., F.R.  H.S., Professor of Zoology in University College, Cork.

July 14.  The third Erewhon dinner at Pagani’s Restaurant; 58 present:  the day was fixed by the Right Honourable Augustine Birrell, K.C., M.P.

Nov. 16.  Samuel Butler Author of Erewhon.  A paper read before the Historical Society of St. John’s College, Cambridge, in the Combination-room of the college, by Henry Festing Jones.  The Master (Mr. R. F. Scott), who was also Vice-Chancellor of the University, was in the chair and a Vote of Thanks was proposed by Professor Bateson, F.R.S.

1910.  Nov. 28.  Life and Habit, a new edition with a preface by R. A. Streatfeild and author’s addenda, being three pages containing passages which Butler had cut out of the original book or had intended to insert in a future edition.

1911.  May 25.  The jubilee number of the Press, New Zealand, contained an account of Butler’s connection with the newspaper and reprinted “Darwin among the Machines” and “Lucubratio Ebria.”

July 15.  The fourth Erewhon dinner at Pagani’s Restaurant; 75 present:  the day was fixed by Sir William Phipson Beale, Bart., K.C., M.P.

Nov.  Charles Darwin and Samuel Butler:  A Step towards Reconciliation, by Henry Festing Jones.  A pamphlet giving the substance of a correspondence between Mr. Francis Darwin and the author and reproducing letters by Charles Darwin about the quarrel between himself and Butler referred to in Chapter iv of Unconscious Memory.

Evolution Old and New, a reprint of the second edition (1882) with prefatory note by R. A. Streatfeild.

1912.  June 1.  Letter from Henry Festing Jones in the Press, Christchurch, New Zealand, about Butler’s Dialogue, which had appeared originally in the Press December 20, 1862, and could not be found.

June 8.  “Darwin on the Origin of Species.  A Dialogue “discovered in consequence of the foregoing letter and reprinted in the Press.

June 15.  The Press reprinted some of the correspondence, etc. which followed on the original appearance of the Dialogue.

Some of Butler’s water-colour drawings having been given to the British Museum, two were included in an exhibition held there during the summer.

July 12.  The Fifth Erewhon Dinner at Pagani’s Restaurant; 90 present; the day was fixed by Mr. Edmund Gosse, C.B., LL.D.