skip to content

Darwin Correspondence Project

From Ernst Krause to Francis Darwin1   26 October 1879

Berlin N.O. Friedenstrasse 10. II

d. 26.10.79.

Hochgeehrter Herr!

Zunächst danke ich Ihnen von Herzen für Ihr gütiges Schreiben, welches ich soeben empfing, und die Rücksendung des Briefes, der aus Versehen zwischen die Druckbogen gekommen war.2

Die Schwierigkeit mit Herrn Reinwald wird sich leicht lösen, zumal wenn Ihr allverehrter Herr Vater vielleicht gelegentlich Herrn Reinwald gegenüber den Wunsch ausdrücken wollte, dass die französische Ausgabe der englischen völlig conform sein müsste.3

Was mich anbetrifft, so bin ich für die sehr geringe Mühe meiner Arbeit, durch die Ehre sie in solcher Form publicirt zu sehen, so überreich entschädigt, dass ich meinerseits am liebsten gar keinen pekuniären Vortheil daraus ziehen möchte, und Sie bitten würde, Ihrem Herrn Vater meinen Wunsch mitzutheilen, dass der in Ihrem freundlichen Schreiben erwähnte Ueberschuss Herrn Dallas zufliessen möge.4

Da Sie meinen Argwohn einer nationalen Animosität Seitens des Herrn Reinwald zu meiner Freude widerlegt haben, so würde ich mit Vergnügen bereit sein, Herrn Reinwald aller Verpflichtungen gegen mich zu entbinden. Es wird dies um so leichter sein, als wir beide bisher keine Zeile miteinander gewechselt haben, und die Verhandlung—vielleicht nicht rücksichtsvoll genug—durch Herrn Alberts geführt worden ist, wobei ich keinen der Briefe zu Gesicht bekommen habe.5 Ich darf daher annehmen, dass diese Angelegenheit sich leicht arrangiren wird.

Ich zeichne, hochgeehrter Herr, mit herzlichstem Danke und der Bitte, mich Ihrem Herrn Vater freundlichst zu empfehlen

Ihr | ganz ergebenster | Ernst Krause

Footnotes

For a translation of this letter, see Appendix I.
See letter from Francis Darwin to Ernst Krause, 23 October 1879. Krause had returned revised proof-sheets of Erasmus Darwin to CD (see letter from Ernst Krause, 20 October 1879).
Krause was preparing an annotated German edition of Erasmus Darwin, which contained an essay by himself (an expanded version of the one in the English edition) and a biographical preface by CD. Krause’s publisher, Karl Alberts, was negotiating with Charles-Ferdinand Reinwald over the publication of a French translation. Alberts had proposed charging royalties for Krause’s part, upon which Reinwald threatened to publish an edition containing only CD’s part (see letter from Ernst Krause, 20 October 1879). Reinwald usually paid CD deferred royalties, dependent upon sufficient sales (see letter from C. F. Reinwald, 17 April 1879). In the event, no French translation was published.
William Sweetland Dallas had translated Krause’s essay on Erasmus Darwin into English. See also letter from W. S. Dallas, 18 October 1879 and n. 3.
Krause had assumed that Reinwald’s objection to paying him royalties was based on national animosity (letter from Ernst Krause, 20 October 1879).

Translation

From Ernst Krause to Francis Darwin1   26 October 1879

Berlin N.O. Friedenstrasse 10. II

26.10.79.

Most esteemed Sir!

First of all let me thank you cordially for your very kind letter, which I received just now, and for returning the letter that had accidentally got between the printed sheets.2

The difficulty with Mr Reinwald can easily be resolved, since your universally revered father was thinking of incidentally expressing to Mr Reinwald his desire that the French edition should follow the English original completely.3

As for me, I am compensated so abundantly for the very paltry amount of labour involved in my contribution by the honour of seeing it published in this form, that I for my part would prefer not to derive any pecuniary profit at all from it and would ask you to communicate to your father my wish to let Mr Dallas have the surplus mentioned in your kind letter.4

Since to my joy you have contradicted my suspicions about national animosities on Mr Reinwald’s part, I would be delighted to release Mr Reinwald of all obligations towards me. This will be all the easier since so far the two of us have not exchanged a single line, and negotations—perhaps not with the required thoughtfulness—have all been carried out through Mr Alberts, without my laying eyes on any of the letters.5 This leads me to suppose that this matter can be sorted out very easily.

I remain, most esteemed Sir, with most heartfelt thanks and the request to very kindly remember me to your father

Yours | wholly devoted | Ernst Krause

Footnotes

For a transcription of this letter in its original German, see Transcript.
See letter from Francis Darwin to Ernst Krause, 23 October 1879. Krause had returned revised proof-sheets of Erasmus Darwin to CD (see letter from Ernst Krause, 20 October 1879).
Krause was preparing an annotated German edition of Erasmus Darwin, which contained an essay by himself (an expanded version of the one in the English edition) and a biographical preface by CD. Krause’s publisher, Karl Alberts, was negotiating with Charles-Ferdinand Reinwald over the publication of a French translation. Alberts had proposed charging royalties for Krause’s part, upon which Reinwald threatened to publish an edition containing only CD’s part (see letter from Ernst Krause, 20 October 1879). Reinwald usually paid CD deferred royalties, dependent upon sufficient sales (see letter from C. F. Reinwald, 17 April 1879). In the event, no French translation was published.
William Sweetland Dallas had translated Krause’s essay on Erasmus Darwin into English. See also letter from W. S. Dallas, 18 October 1879 and n. 3.
Krause had assumed that Reinwald’s objection to paying him royalties was based on national animosity (letter from Ernst Krause, 20 October 1879).

Summary

Problem with Charles Reinwald could be solved if CD would ask that French edition [of Erasmus Darwin] follow English. EK willing to co-operate with Reinwald.

Letter details

Letter no.
DCP-LETT-12271
From
Ernst Ludwig (Ernst) Krause
To
Francis Darwin
Sent from
Berlin
Source of text
DAR 92: B44–5
Physical description
ALS 3pp (German)

Please cite as

Darwin Correspondence Project, “Letter no. 12271,” accessed on 18 April 2024, https://www.darwinproject.ac.uk/letter/?docId=letters/DCP-LETT-12271.xml

letter