Charles Darwin can be a model for any empirical researcher. This essay describes his attitudes to his work, the kind of background knowledge he brought to his major project, his working method, and the way he presented his ideas in writing. Particular attention is given to Darwin’s way of arguing, his consideration of possible counter-evidence, and the dialogic nature of his rhetorical strategy. The author also notes some problems in Darwin’s marketing of his theory via translation, and mentions some recent research on how he was motivated by the moral cause of the anti-slavery movement.