From Gaston de Saporta1 16 January 1879
Aix, (Bouches du Rhône)
16 Janvier 1879
Monsieur et honoré confrère,
Je viens solliciter de vous, en vous envoyant ma photographie, la faveur de me faire parvenir la vôtre; a laquelle j’attache un grand prix.2 Puisque je n’ai pas le plaisir de vous connaitre et de recueillir de votre bouche les enseignements que je trouve dans votre livre, ce sera pour moi une consolation de connaître vos traits— Je vous aurai une vrai reconnaissance de m’accorder cette faveur.
Je puis vous annoncer que mon dernier ouvrage, où vos théories tiennent une si grande place obtient en France un succes fort convenable; l’honneur vous en revient et comme nous poursuivons avant tout la vérite; il est bien certain qu’elle prévaudra après un temps plus ou moins long et malgre les obstacles & les objections souvent puériles qu’on oppose à votre doctrine.3
Je vous renouvelle, Monsieur et honoré confrére, l’expression bien sincère de mes sentiments tres dévouées | Cte G de Saporta
Footnotes
Bibliography
Harvey, Joy. 2008. Darwin in a French dress: translating, publishing and supporting Darwin in nineteenth-century France. In The reception of Charles Darwin in Europe, edited by Eve-Marie Engels and Thomas F. Glick. 2 vols. London: Continuum.
Saporta, Gaston de. 1879. Le monde des plantes avant l’apparition de l’homme. Paris: G. Masson.
Tort, Patrick. 2008. The interminable decline of Lamarckism in France. Translated by Matthew Cobb. In The reception of Charles Darwin in Europe, edited by Eve-Marie Engels and Thomas F. Glick. London: Continuum.
Translation
From Gaston de Saporta1 16 January 1879
Aix, (Bouches du Rhône)
16 January 1879
Sir and honoured colleague,
I am going to ask you the favour of sending, in exchange for my photograph, one of yourself; to which I attach great value.2 Since I have not had the pleasure of meeting you and receiving from your own mouth the instruction that I find in your book, it would be a consolation to know your features— I would be truly grateful to you for granting this favour.
I can tell you that my last work, where your theories hold a great place, has been very well received in France; the honour falls to you and since we search for truth above all, it is quite certain it will prevail after more or less time and in spite of the obstacles and frequently childish objections that are made against your doctrine.3
Once again, Sir and honoured colleague, accept the sincere expression of my deep devotion | Cte G de Saporta
Footnotes
Bibliography
Harvey, Joy. 2008. Darwin in a French dress: translating, publishing and supporting Darwin in nineteenth-century France. In The reception of Charles Darwin in Europe, edited by Eve-Marie Engels and Thomas F. Glick. 2 vols. London: Continuum.
Saporta, Gaston de. 1879. Le monde des plantes avant l’apparition de l’homme. Paris: G. Masson.
Tort, Patrick. 2008. The interminable decline of Lamarckism in France. Translated by Matthew Cobb. In The reception of Charles Darwin in Europe, edited by Eve-Marie Engels and Thomas F. Glick. London: Continuum.
Summary
Sends his photograph; asks for CD’s.
Letter details
- Letter no.
- DCP-LETT-11830
- From
- Louis Charles Joseph Gaston (Gaston) de Saporta, comte de Saporta
- To
- Charles Robert Darwin
- Sent from
- Aix
- Source of text
- DAR 177: 37
- Physical description
- ALS 2pp (French)
Please cite as
Darwin Correspondence Project, “Letter no. 11830,” accessed on 1 April 2023, https://www.darwinproject.ac.uk/letter/?docId=letters/DCP-LETT-11830.xml