Papers on Infant Development

Published by the Education Department of the American Social Science Association. January, 1882.

Pink wraps, 8vo; iv, 52pp. Very Good with soil and sunning to wraps, half-inch loss at the spine head, lower corner bumped with creasing to first two pages. Contents unmarked.Includes, “A Biographical Sketch of an Infant” by Charles Darwin, along with a letter from him to Talbot expressing approbation for her endeavor. He writes, “Very little is at present accurately known on this subject, and I believe that isolated observations will add but little to our knowledge; whereas tabulated results from a very large number of observations, systematically made, would probably throw much light on the sequence and period of development of the several faculties” (p. 6). 
Talbot collected case studies through correspondence with parents, six of which are presented here. Observations focused on early childhood behaviors, including language acquisition, motor skills, emotions, and social interactions now known as hallmarks in infant development. Having issued a previous circular soliciting information from parents, a second “Register of Infant Development” survey with specific questions, most with responses quantifiable by age and reflecting areas of inquiry Darwin articulated in his letter: the parents’ educational background and the infant’s development of taste or preference. The questionnaire is printed at the end of the book; a loose copy of the circular is also present.

Contents: Address of Professor Harris; Report of Mrs. Talbot; Letter of Mr. Charles Darwin; Letter of A. Bronson Alcott; Statements of cases reported to Mrs. Talbot; Mr. Taine's report on his own child; Mr. Darwin's observations; Mr. Champney's report; Dr. Preyer's observations; Register of infant development.