From Henry Potonié1 1 February 1879
Berlin:
1.2.1879
Hochgeehrter Herr!
Am 16.4.1878 erlaubte ich mir Sie auf 1849–50 veröffentlichte Gedanken des unvergesslichen Alexander Braun aufmerksam zu machen, die sich in der “Einleitung” und in der “Schlussbetrachtung” seines höchst interessanten Werkes: “Betrachtungen über die Erscheinung der Verjüngung in der Natur etc.” vorfinden, und die, wie ich meine, für die Geschichte der Entwickelungslehre von wirklicher Bedeutung sind.2
Noch einmal wage ich es Ihre kostbare Zeit in Anspruch zu nehmen, weil ich eine englische Uebersetzung dieses Werkes hier in Berlin gefunden habe, und ich möchte mir erlauben Ihnen die, wie mir scheint, für die Geschichte der Descendenzlehre wichtigste Selle aus dieser Uebersetzung mittheilen. Die Uebersetzung erschien 1853 in den “botanical und physiological Memoirs” der “Ray society” und ist von Arthur Henfrey übersetzt.3 Die folgende Stelle befindet sich Seite 322–323, sie lautet:
“That we might go still further in this direction, in the attempt to seize the conception of the natural continuity of the essence, we have already indicated in the Introduction. For as the individual appears as a link of the species, so does the species as a link of the genus, the genus as a link of the family, of the order, the class, of the kingdom; the kingdoms of Nature even as the great principal links of the organism of Nature; a view with which, indeed, we give to the Natural System its true and objective import, which is entirely lost in the mere subjective abstract conception of the natural divisions. It is true that the common origin and the historical connection among the links of the more comprehensive divisions of the Vegetable Kingdom, cannot be so readily demonstrated as is the case with the history of the individual in Cell-, Leaf-, and Sprout-formation, and the history of the Species, the formation of the Individuals effected by reproduction, and the circle of Varieties which come into existence in the course of reproduction; but the flora of the ancient world, and the geographical distribution of the plants of the present epoch, afford us important indices at least, pointing to the connection in time and space of the history of development of the Vegetable Kingdom as a whole and in its parts”.4
In der Hoffnung beizutragen dem edlen Alexander Braun hierdurch die ihm gebührende Stellung in der Geschichte der Entwickelungslehr zu verschaffen,5 verbleibe ich | Sie tief bewundernd | Henry Potonié.
Berlin N.W. Dorotheenstr. 42.
CD annotations
Footnotes
Bibliography
Braun, Alexander Carl Heinrich. 1851. Betrachtungen über die Erscheinung der Verjüngung in der Natur, insbesondere in der Lebens- und Bildungsgeschichte der Pflanze. Leipzig: Wilhelm Engelmann.
Braun, Alexander Carl Heinrich. 1853. Considerations on the phenomenon of rejuvenescence in nature, especially in the life and development of plants. Translated by Arthur Henfrey. In Botanical and physiological memoirs, edited by Arthur Henfrey. London: Ray Society.
Henfrey, Arthur, ed. 1853. Botanical and physiological memoirs. London: Ray Society.
Marginalia: Charles Darwin’s marginalia. Edited by Mario A. Di Gregorio with the assistance of Nicholas W. Gill. Vol. 1. New York and London: Garland Publishing. 1990.
Potonié, Henry. 1879. Alexander Braun’s Stellung zur Descendenz-Theorie: ein Beitrag zur Geschichte der Entwickelungslehre. Kosmos 5: 366–70.
Translation
From Henry Potonié1 1 February 1879
Berlin:
1.2.1879
Most esteemed Sir!
On 16.4.1878 I ventured to direct your attention to the thoughts of the unforgettable Alexander Braun, published in 1849–50, which can be found in the “Introduction” and in the “Concluding reflections” of his most interesting work: “Betrachtungen über die Erscheinung der Verjüngung in der Natur etc.” and which, I feel, are of genuine significance for the history of the theory of evolution.2
Once again I make bold to take up your precious time, because I have found an English translation of this work here in Berlin, and I should like to venture to communicate to you from this translation the most important passage, it seems, for the history of the theory of descent. The translation came out in 1853 in the “botanical and physiological Memoirs” of the “Ray society” and is by Arthur Henfrey.3 The following passage can be found on pp. 322–323, and it runs:
“That we might go still further in this direction, in the attempt to seize the conception of the natural continuity of the essence, we have already indicated in the Introduction. For as the individual appears as a link of the species, so does the species as a link of the genus, the genus as a link of the family, of the order, the class, of the kingdom; the kingdoms of Nature even as the great principal links of the organism of Nature; a view with which, indeed, we give to the Natural System its true and objective import, which is entirely lost in the mere subjective abstract conception of the natural divisions. It is true that the common origin and the historical connection among the links of the more comprehensive divisions of the Vegetable Kingdom, cannot be so readily demonstrated as is the case with the history of the individual in Cell-, Leaf-, and Sprout-formation, and the history of the Species, the formation of the Individuals effected by reproduction, and the circle of Varieties which come into existence in the course of reproduction; but the flora of the ancient world, and the geographical distribution of the plants of the present epoch, afford us important indices at least, pointing to the connection in time and space of the history of development of the Vegetable Kingdom as a whole and in its parts”.4
In the hope of having hereby helped to secure the noble Alexander Braun his due place in the history of the theory of descent,5 I remain | in profound admiration | Henry Potonié.
Berlin N.W. Dorotheenstr. 42.
Footnotes
Bibliography
Braun, Alexander Carl Heinrich. 1851. Betrachtungen über die Erscheinung der Verjüngung in der Natur, insbesondere in der Lebens- und Bildungsgeschichte der Pflanze. Leipzig: Wilhelm Engelmann.
Braun, Alexander Carl Heinrich. 1853. Considerations on the phenomenon of rejuvenescence in nature, especially in the life and development of plants. Translated by Arthur Henfrey. In Botanical and physiological memoirs, edited by Arthur Henfrey. London: Ray Society.
Henfrey, Arthur, ed. 1853. Botanical and physiological memoirs. London: Ray Society.
Marginalia: Charles Darwin’s marginalia. Edited by Mario A. Di Gregorio with the assistance of Nicholas W. Gill. Vol. 1. New York and London: Garland Publishing. 1990.
Potonié, Henry. 1879. Alexander Braun’s Stellung zur Descendenz-Theorie: ein Beitrag zur Geschichte der Entwickelungslehre. Kosmos 5: 366–70.
Summary
Cites evolutionary passages by Alexander Braun in English edition of Braun’s Verjüngung [1853].
Letter details
- Letter no.
- DCP-LETT-11856
- From
- Henry Potonié
- To
- Charles Robert Darwin
- Sent from
- Berlin
- Source of text
- DAR 174: 59
- Physical description
- ALS 4pp (German)
Please cite as
Darwin Correspondence Project, “Letter no. 11856,” accessed on 19 April 2024, https://www.darwinproject.ac.uk/letter/?docId=letters/DCP-LETT-11856.xml
