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
Homœopathy 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.
I
Lord, What is Man?