Charles Darwin’s List of the Pros and Cons of Marriage FROM Darwin Correspondence Project

Second note [July 1838][12]

Marry

Children—(if it Please God) [14] — Constant companion,
(& friend in old age) who will feel interested in one,—
object to be beloved & played with.— —better than a
dog anyhow.— [15] Home, & someone to take care of
house— Charms of music & female chit-chat.— These
things good for one’s health.— [16] but terrible loss of
time. —

My[17] God, it is intolerable to think of spending ones
whole life, like a neuter bee, working, working, &
nothing after all.— No, no won’t do.— Imagine living
all one’s day solitarily in smoky dirty London House.—
Only picture to yourself a nice soft wife on a sofa with
good fire, & books & music perhaps— Compare this
vision with the dingy reality of Grt. Marlbro’ St.
Marry—Mary—Marry Q.E.D.,

Not Marry[18]

Freedom to go where one liked— choice of Society
& little of it. — Conversation of clever men at clubs—
Not forced to visit relatives, & to bend in every
trifle.— to have the expense & anxiety of children—
perhaps quarelling— Loss of time. — cannot read in
the Evenings— fatness & idleness— Anxiety &
responsibility— less money for books &c— if many
children forced to gain one’s bread.— (But then it is
very bad for ones health[19] to work too much)