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Darwin Correspondence Project

From G. E. Mengozzi1   15 December 1880

Rome | 3 Piazza del Popolo

15. 10mbre. 1880

Illustre Monsieur

C’etait pour moi et mes Collegues, composants la Magistrature de la Royale et Imperiale Accademie “La Scuola Italica” de Rome, une grande consolation l’avoir appris par Votre lettre derniére, que Vous avez acceptè la nomination à Membre d’Honneur de la même Accademie.2

Dans quelques jours aura lieux une Séance pour en éffectuer à unanimité Votre éléction et aprés Vous envoyer le relatif Diplóme, comme on à dejà participé au Président Genl. Honoraire le Roi d’Italie Humbert 1er. et le Senateur M. Giacchi, Vice President Effectif,3 Votre généreuse acceptation qui apporte majeur lustre a la Royale Assemblée et utilité pour l’avancement des doctrines naturelles que Vous cultivez.

Dans ma derniéres lettre je Vous avait priez d’agréer la dédicace de un des mes ouvrage, sur la: Génération des animaux, et Nouvelle Classification des Êtres Naturels;4 de cet ouvrage je vous envoye à présent trois Tableaux Synoptiques, pour qui Vous puissiez-le voir synthètiquement et abrégè.

Cette dédicace par Vous accepté trouvera accession parmis les savants, et sera honorée de la leur critique de quoi je désire pour me tenire sûre en propos.

Je sait que je n’ai pas aucun titre ni mérite pour obtenir de Vous si grand honneur et encouragement; mai, je connait la bienfaisance de Votre ésprit et j’en doute pas de Votre adhèsion.

J’ai relus avidement les dernières pages de votre ouvrage par Vous indiquées; “Variations des animeaux et des Plantes sous l’êtat de domestication”.5

Le resultat dans ma pensée était que pendant qui est demontré par la organografie comparée et par Vos recherches sur la cause génétique des existences, que chaque être, y compris l’homme, à origine par une préexistente forme, pour ça il ne vient pas annullée la Divinitè etant l’existence de Dieu assez clairement et sufficentement demontrée par l’intelligence humaine, parce que la même est plus élevée comparativement à celle des toutes autres existences, ainsi comme sagement vous dites dans le grand volume sur l’Origine de l’homme; c’est à dire, que seulement pour l’élévation des facultées intellectuelles l’homme pervient reconaître l’existence de un créateur et Regulateur de l’Univers; l’amoureux createur, comme Vous m’ecrivait.

Dans la sûretè que Vous Vous daignerez d’accepter la dedicace de mon pauvre ouvrage du quel je Vous envoye unis à la presente lettre, les tableaux synoptiques; je Vous remercie en anticipation pendant que à present et toujours je me repéte | Très devoué et obbligé | Comm. Profr. G. E. Mengozzi M.D.

P.S. On m’á dit que Vous avez pubbliée un nouveaux ouvrage: The power of Movement in the Plants, est il vraie?6

[Enclosure 1]

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[Enclosure 2]

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[Enclosure 3]

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CD annotations

4.1 Cette … domestication”. 6.2]: ‘X’ pencil
Third enclosure: ‘Very much obliged for your courteous & very interesting letter & He has published Power of M will direct his publisher to send you a copy’7 pencil

Footnotes

For a translation of this letter, see Appendix I. Mengozzi’s French (not his native tongue) was extremely poor.
See letter from G. E. Mengozzi, 24 November 1880. The book, Nuova classificazione degli esseri naturali e saggio sulla generazione degli animali, published in 1881, contains a long introductory dedication to CD (Mengozzi 1881, pp. vii–xxv).
See letter to G. E. Mengozzi, [before 28] October 1880; CD advised Mengozzi to read the last pages of Variation. The French translation was Moulinié trans. 1868.
Movement in plants was published on 6 November 1880 (Freeman 1977).
CD’s annotations are notes for his reply to Mengozzi, which has not been found. Mengozzi’s name is not on CD’s presentation list for Movement in plants.

Bibliography

Freeman, Richard Broke. 1977. The works of Charles Darwin: an annotated bibliographical handlist. 2d edition. Folkestone, Kent: William Dawson & Sons. Hamden, Conn.: Archon Books, Shoe String Press.

Mengozzi, Giovanni Ettore. 1881. Nuova classificazione degli esseri naturali e saggio sulla generazione degli animali. Rome: Tipografia Alle Terme Diocleziane.

Moulinié, Jean-Jacques, trans. 1868. De la variation des animaux et des plantes sous l’action de la domestication. By Charles Darwin. Preface by Carl Vogt. Paris: C. Reinwald.

Movement in plants: The power of movement in plants. By Charles Darwin. Assisted by Francis Darwin. London: John Murray. 1880.

Variation: The variation of animals and plants under domestication. By Charles Darwin. 2 vols. London: John Murray. 1868.

Translation

From G. E. Mengozzi1   15 December 1880

Rome | 3 Piazza del Popolo

15. Decmber. 1880

Illustrious Sir

It was a great comfort for me and my Colleagues, making up the magistracy of the Royal and Imperial Academy ‘La Scuola Italica’ of Rome, to have learned from your last letter, that you have accepted the nomination to Honorary Member of this Academy.2

In a few days a Meeting will take place to carry out your unanimous election, and afterwards to send you the appropriate Diploma, as your generous acceptance, which brings great lustre to the Royal Assembly and is helpful for the advancement of the natural doctrines that you cultivate has already been shared with the Honorary General President the King of Italy Humbert 1st and Senator M. Giacchi, the Vice President.3

In my last letter I asked you to accept the dedication of one of my work, on Génération des animaux, et Nouvelle Classification des Êtres Naturels;4 from this work I send you now three Synoptic Tables, for which you could see as an overview in abridged form.

This dedication, with your acceptance, will find approval among scholars and will be honoured by their criticism, which I desire in order to remain confident in the subject.

I know that I have no right at all nor do I deserve to obtain from you such great honour and encouragement; but I know the beneficence of your nature and I have no doubt of your support.

I have eagerly reread the closing pages of your work, “Variations des animeaux et des Plantes sous l’état de domestication”, as you directed.5

The result in my mind was that while what is shown by comparative organography and by your research on the genetic cause of life, that each being, including man, originates from a pre-existing form, for that does not result in negating the Divinity, the existence of God being sufficently clearly and adequately demonstrated by human intelligence, because the same is more elevated compared to that of all other creatures as you wisely say in the great volume on the Origin of man; that is to say, that only through the elevation of the intellectual faculties is man able to recognise the existence of a creator and Ruler of the Universe; the loving creator, as you wrote to me.

With confidence that you will deign to accept the dedication of my little work from which I send the synoptic tables together with this letter; I thank you in anticipation while now and always I remain | Very devoted and obliged | Comm. Profr. G. E. Mengozzi D. D.

P. S. I have been told that you have published a new work: The power of Movement in the Plants, is it true?6

[Enclosure 1]

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[Enclosure 2]

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[Enclosure 3]

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Footnotes

For a transcription of this letter in its original French and the enclosures in their original Italian, see pp. 477–82. Mengozzi’s French (not his native tongue) was extremely poor.
See letter from G. E. Mengozzi, 24 November 1880. The book, Nuova classificazione degli esseri naturali e saggio sulla generazione degli animali, published in 1881, contains a long introductory dedication to CD (Mengozzi 1881, pp. vii–xxv).
See letter to G. E. Mengozzi, [before 28] October 1880; CD advised Mengozzi to read the last pages of Variation. The French translation was Moulinié trans. 1868.
Movement in plants was published on 6 November 1880 (Freeman 1977).

Bibliography

Freeman, Richard Broke. 1977. The works of Charles Darwin: an annotated bibliographical handlist. 2d edition. Folkestone, Kent: William Dawson & Sons. Hamden, Conn.: Archon Books, Shoe String Press.

Mengozzi, Giovanni Ettore. 1881. Nuova classificazione degli esseri naturali e saggio sulla generazione degli animali. Rome: Tipografia Alle Terme Diocleziane.

Moulinié, Jean-Jacques, trans. 1868. De la variation des animaux et des plantes sous l’action de la domestication. By Charles Darwin. Preface by Carl Vogt. Paris: C. Reinwald.

Movement in plants: The power of movement in plants. By Charles Darwin. Assisted by Francis Darwin. London: John Murray. 1880.

Variation: The variation of animals and plants under domestication. By Charles Darwin. 2 vols. London: John Murray. 1868.

Summary

Pleased CD has accepted honorary membership in his academy, La Scuola Italica.

Encloses three "tableaux synoptiques" from a work he intends to dedicate to CD.

[CD’s notes are for his reply.]

Letter details

Letter no.
DCP-LETT-12914
From
Giovanni Ettore Mengozzi
To
Charles Robert Darwin
Sent from
Rome
Source of text
DAR 171: 155
Physical description
LS 3pp (French), encl 3pp †

Please cite as

Darwin Correspondence Project, “Letter no. 12914,” accessed on 28 March 2024, https://www.darwinproject.ac.uk/letter/?docId=letters/DCP-LETT-12914.xml

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