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Darwin Correspondence Project

From Ernst Krause1   15 May 1879

Berlin N.O. Friedenstrasse 10. II.

den 15 Mai 79.

Hochverehrter Herr!

Zunächst sage ich Ihnen herzlichsten Dank für Ihre gütige Auskunft auf meine Fragen.2 In Bezug auf die Lebensschilderung sehe ich die Schwierigkeit, Wiederholungen zu vermeiden, völlig deutlich, und ich würde es für das Beste halten, wenn Sie die Ihrige allein gäben, und dazu vielleicht nur meinen Essaÿ über die wissenschaftlichen und poetischen Arbeiten von Dr. E. D. hinzufügen wollten. Indem ich die Lebens-Skizze nochmals überarbeitete, hatte ich nur den Wunsch, Ihnen dadurch vielleicht Mühe zu sparen, und die Idee, dass sich Manches vielleicht anstandsloser und unbefangener von einem Dritten sagen liesse, so z. B. die Misscreditirung der Nachrichten von Miss. Seward und Mrs. Schimmelpenninck.3

Das Buch von Mr. Butler habe ich vor einigen Tagen angezeigt gesehen und sogleich bestellt.4 Vielleicht kann ich noch davon Nutzen ziehen, aber vielleicht macht es auch meinen Essaÿ völlig überflüssig. Sollte dies der Fall sein, so würde ich Sie bitten, Ihre neuen Feststellungen für sich zu publiciren; ich würde vielleicht dann meinen erweiterten Abriss nur deutsch, und mit der Uebersetzung Ihrer Präliminar-Notiz herausgeben.5

Im Voraus versichere ich Sie, hochverehrter Herr, dass ich mit jeder Anordnung, die Sie in dieser Angelegenheit treffen werden, völlig einverstanden bin, und zeichne | Verehrungsvoll | Ihr | ergebenster | Ernst Krause

CD annotations

2.1 Mr. Butler] underl pencil

Footnotes

For a translation of this letter, see Appendix I.
CD considered Mary Ann Schimmelpenninck’s recollections of Erasmus Darwin to be untrustworthy and parts of Anna Seward’s book to be false (see letter to Ernst Krause, 9 May [1879] and nn. 6 and 8).
CD had mentioned Samuel Butler’s book in his letter to Ernst Krause, 13 May 1879; Butler discussed Erasmus Darwin’s life and evolutionary views in S. Butler 1879, pp. 173–234.
CD was writing a biographical account of his grandfather Erasmus Darwin as a preliminary notice to Krause’s expanded essay on Erasmus Darwin; both were published in English and German (Erasmus Darwin; Krause 1880.)

Bibliography

Butler, Samuel. 1879. Evolution, old and new: or, the theories of Buffon, Dr. Erasmus Darwin, and Lamarck, as compared with that of Mr. Charles Darwin. London: Hardwicke and Bogue.

Erasmus Darwin. By Ernst Krause. Translated from the German by W. S. Dallas, with a preliminary notice by Charles Darwin. London: John Murray. 1879.

Krause, Ernst. 1880. Erasmus Darwin und seine Stellung in der Geschichte der Descendenz-Theorie von Ernst Krause. Mit seinem Lebens- und Charakterbilde von Charles Darwin. Leipzig: Ernst Günther.

Translation

From Ernst Krause1   15 May 1879

Berlin N.O. Friedenstrasse 10. II.

15 May 79.

Highly esteemed Sir!

First let me thank you cordially for your kind response to my queries.2 As concerns the biographical portrait, I fully and clearly see the problem of avoiding repetitions, and it think it would probably be the best if you were to supply solely your portrait and perhaps to supplement it just with my essay on the scientific and poetic works of Dr E. D. In revising the biographical sketch once more, my only wish was to possibly save you trouble, and I had a notion that some things might perhaps be said more forthrightly and candidly by a third party e.g. discrediting the reports by Miss Seward and Mrs Schimmelpenninck.3

Some days ago I saw the book by Mr Butler advertised and ordered it at once.4 Perhaps I will be able to profit from it yet, but it may also make my essay wholly superfluous. Should this be the case, I would ask you to publish your new observations separately; I might in that case publish my expanded abstract in Germany only, together with a translation of your preliminary notice.5

Assuring you, highly esteemed Sir, in advance that I am wholly in agreement with any decision you make in this matter, I remain | respectfully | Yours | most devoted | Ernst Krause

Footnotes

For a transcription of this letter in its original German, see Transcript.
CD considered Mary Ann Schimmelpenninck’s recollections of Erasmus Darwin to be untrustworthy and parts of Anna Seward’s book to be false (see letter to Ernst Krause, 9 May [1879] and nn. 6 and 8).
CD had mentioned Samuel Butler’s book in his letter to Ernst Krause, 13 May 1879; Butler discussed Erasmus Darwin’s life and evolutionary views in S. Butler 1879, pp. 173–234.
CD was writing a biographical account of his grandfather Erasmus Darwin as a preliminary notice to Krause’s expanded essay on Erasmus Darwin; both were published in English and German (Erasmus Darwin; Krause 1880.)

Bibliography

Butler, Samuel. 1879. Evolution, old and new: or, the theories of Buffon, Dr. Erasmus Darwin, and Lamarck, as compared with that of Mr. Charles Darwin. London: Hardwicke and Bogue.

Erasmus Darwin. By Ernst Krause. Translated from the German by W. S. Dallas, with a preliminary notice by Charles Darwin. London: John Murray. 1879.

Krause, Ernst. 1880. Erasmus Darwin und seine Stellung in der Geschichte der Descendenz-Theorie von Ernst Krause. Mit seinem Lebens- und Charakterbilde von Charles Darwin. Leipzig: Ernst Günther.

Summary

Thanks for answers to questions [in 12032].

Has ordered the new book by Butler [Evolution, old and new (1879)]. It may make EK’s own essay superfluous.

Letter details

Letter no.
DCP-LETT-12053
From
Ernst Ludwig (Ernst) Krause
To
Charles Robert Darwin
Sent from
Berlin
Source of text
DAR 92: B26
Physical description
ALS 1p (German)

Please cite as

Darwin Correspondence Project, “Letter no. 12053,” accessed on 19 April 2024, https://www.darwinproject.ac.uk/letter/?docId=letters/DCP-LETT-12053.xml

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