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Letter 8197

Martins, C. F. to Darwin, C. R.

3 Feb 1872

    Summary Add

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    CD's views, on which he has lectured, will succeed with time.

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    Joachim Barrande's refutation cannot be impartial because he is a devout Catholic.

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    Many young French naturalists support CD but are silent for fear of their jobs. Houget has been reprimanded for his Darwinism.

Transcription

Montpellier

3. Fev. 1872.

Cher Maitre

Votre lettre m'a fait le plus grand plaisir car elle me prouve que j'ai eté assez heureux dans l'exposition de vos idées. L'avenir leur appartient mais c'est seulement avec l'aide du temps qu'elles pourront remplacer les anciennes et vaincre les préjugés de tout genre qui regnent encore parmi les Naturalistes. On me signale une refutation écrite par Mr. Joachim Barrande excellent paleontologiste francais residant a Prague connu par ses travaux sur les terrains siluriens de la Bohème. Je ne l'ai pas lue mais l'auteur n'est pas dans les conditions d'impartialité necessaires pour la recherche de la verité. Ancien Instituteur du Duc de Bordeaux il est très catholique et ne separé pas comme on doit le faire la science de la religion. Sa bonne foi est complette. Son independance ne l'est pas.

Beaucoup de nos jeunes naturalistes partagent vos idées mais n'osent l'avouer ouvertement de peur de nuire à leur avancement dans la carrière de l'enseignement. Mon collegue Rouget Professeur de Physiologie à la Faculté a été blamé et averti officiellement. Nous n'en continuons pas moins tous deux a enseigner ce que nous croyons être la verité.

Veuillez agréer mon cher Maitre l'expression de mon admiration et de mon devouement | Ch: Martins

Translation

Montpellier

3. Feb. 1872.

Dear Master

Your letter has given me the greatest pleasure, for it proves to me that I was reasonably successful in expounding your ideas. The future belongs to them, but it is only with the aid of time that they will be able to replace the old ones and overcome the prejudices of all kinds which still reign among Naturalists. A refutation by Mr. Joachim Barrande, an excellent French naturalist living in Prague and known for his work on the Silurian terrains of Bohemia, has been drawn to my attention. I have not read it, but the author is not in the state of impartiality required for the search for truth. As the former Tutor to the Duke of Bordeaux, he is strongly Catholic, and does not separate science from religion as one should. His good faith is complete; his independence is not.

Many of our younger naturalists share your ideas, but do not dare avow them openly for fear of harming their progress in their teaching careers. My colleague Rouget, Professor of Physiology at the Faculty, has been reprimanded and officially warned. We both continue nonetheless to teach what we believe to be the truth.

Dear Master, please believe me yours sincerely and with admiration | Ch: Martins

    Footnotes Add

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    f1 08197.f1
    For a translation of this letter, see Appendix I.
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