From H. G. Bronn1 19 May 1862
Heidelberg
le 19 Mai 1862
Monsieur!
J’ai eu l’honneur de recevoir les paquets, que Vous avez bien voulu m’addresser soit directement soit par l’intermédiaire de Mr Schweizerbart;2—et je vous remercie sincèrement non seulement pour les additions à la dernière édition anglaise de vôtre Origin of Species, mais particulièrement encore pour la manière, dont vous m’avez su faciliter de retrouver les pages et les lignes, où un changement ou une addition doit avoir lieu dans la nouvelle édition allemande, dont l’impression va commencer dans ces jours mêmes.3 Il faut cependant me permettre une observation sur un passage dans la dernière édition Anglaise, qui ne s’est pas trouvé dans la précédente.
Pag. 142: Geology shows us, at least within the whole imm⟨ense⟩ tertiary period, that the number of species of shells and probably, of mammals, has not greatly or at all increased.
N’ÿ a-t-il pas là quelque faute d’impression? L⟨es⟩ ⟨ ⟩ n’existent au commencement de la période tertiaire ⟨ ⟩ nombre et de peu d’ordres seulement; ils deviennent toujo⟨urs⟩ plus nombreux, de sorte que dans l’étage Miocène ils paraissent être même plus variés et plus abondants, qu’aujourdhui. Au moins le nombre d’espèces trouvées ensemble dans une même couche d’une même localité (à Mayance, Sansan etc)4 est quelquefois plus grand, que celui qu’on m’en trouveroit à présent dans toute l’Europe. Il n’ÿ a pas de doute, que le nombre des Mammifères, dont on ne connoît qu’une douzaine d’espèces à peu près dans les terrains pré-tertiaires, n’ait augmenté plus considérablement peutêtre que celui d’aucune autre classe justement dans la période tertiaire. Je vous prie donc, Monsieur, de bien vouloir me faire savoir comment il faut entendre ce passage?5
Les feuilles de Vôtre livre sur les Orchidées m’ont fait reconnoître, qu’il sera d’une grande importance pour la science, qu’il va enrichir de nouvaux faits relativement à une famille de plantes qui sont des plus interèssantes de toutes, et dont il corrigera la théorie.6 Si peût-être pas tous les lecteurs de “l’Origin” seroient assez botanistes, pour s’ÿ intéresser il ÿ aura sans doute un grand nombre de botanistes qui, ne possedent pas l’Origin, mais achèteront les Orchidées. C’est ce que j’ai écrit à Mr. Schweizerbart en lui communiquant les épreuves; cependant je l’ai prié également d’en consulter encore un botaniste même, comme p.e. Mr. v. Mohl.7 Ensuite il aura à faire son compte rélativement à ses frais; et je crois qu’il sera à même à Vous communiquer sa decision en 18–24 jours auplus!—car on vient de me prévenir qu’il est parti pour la foire de Leipsic, voÿage que‘ chaque libraire éditeur doit faire tous les ans et qui conge 2–3 semaines.8
Je Vous ai dit, que je n’adhère pas à Vôtre théorie, parce-que, malgré tous les avantage qu’elle auroit pour la science, elle est encore en opposition avec des faits fondamentaux de la science (le premier developpement d’un animal sortant de matière inorganique), mais que néanmoins je suis convaincu, qu’elle nous conduira enfin sur la route de la verité.9 Peût-être, si je trouve assez de temps, j’ajouterai à la traduction quelques observations intéressantes sur la variabilité des espèces relativement à des charactères, qu’on a cru être les plus constants.10
Veuillez aggréer, Monsieur, l’expression de la considération toute particulière, avec laquelle j’ai, l’honneur d’être, Monsieur | Vôtre | très devoué | H. G. Bronn
CD annotations
Footnotes
Bibliography
Börsenblatt für den Deutschen Buchhandel: Börsenblatt für den Deutschen Buchhandel und für die mit ihm verwandten Geschäftszweige herausgegeben von den Deputirten des Vereins der Buchhändler zu Leipzig. Leipzig: Vereins der Buchhändler. 1834–80.
Correspondence: The correspondence of Charles Darwin. Edited by Frederick Burkhardt et al. 29 vols to date. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. 1985–.
EB: The Encyclopædia Britannica. A dictionary of arts, sciences, literature and general information. 11th edition. 29 vols. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. 1910–11.
Junker, Thomas. 1991. Henrich Georg Bronn und die Entstehung der Arten. Sudhoffs Archiv Zeitschrift für Wissenschaftsgeschichte 75: 180–208. [Vols. 8,10]
Orchids: On the various contrivances by which British and foreign orchids are fertilised by insects, and on the good effects of intercrossing. By Charles Darwin. London: John Murray. 1862.
Origin 3d ed.: On the origin of species by means of natural selection, or the preservation of favoured races in the struggle for life. 3d edition, with additions and corrections. By Charles Darwin. London: John Murray. 1861.
Origin 4th ed.: On the origin of species by means of natural selection, or the preservation of favoured races in the struggle for life. 4th edition, with additions and corrections. By Charles Darwin. London: John Murray. 1866.
Origin: On the origin of species by means of natural selection, or the preservation of favoured races in the struggle for life. By Charles Darwin. London: John Murray. 1859.
Translation
From H. G. Bronn1 19 May 1862
Heidelberg
19 May 1862
Sir,
I have had the honour of receiving the packets that you were kind enough to send me either directly or through Mr Schweizerbart;2—and I thank you sincerely not only for the additions to the latest English edition of your Origin of Species, but even more especially for the manner in which you made it easy to find the pages and the lines where a change or an addition is to be made in the new German edition, which will be going to press any day now.3 I must however comment on a passage in the latest English edition that is not in the previous one.
Pag. 142: Geology shows us, at least within the whole imm⟨ense⟩ tertiary period, that the number of species of shells and probably, of mammals, has not greatly or at all increased.
Is there not some printing error there? The ⟨ ⟩ do not exist at the beginning of the tertiary period ⟨ ⟩ number and only a few orders; they become more numerous such that in the miocene stratum they appear to be even more varied and more abundant than today. At least the number of species found together in the same bed at the same locality (at Mayance, Sansan etc)4 is sometimes greater than that to be found nowadays in the whole of Europe. There is no doubt that the number of mammals, of which only about a dozen species are known in the pre-tertiary beds, has increased considerably perhaps more than any other class precisely in the tertiary period. I beg you therefore, my dear Sir, to let me know how this passage should be understood?5
The pages of your book on the Orchids made me realize that it will be of great importance for science and that it will provide new facts relating to a family of plants of the greatest interest, the interpretation of which it will revise.6 Though perhaps not all readers of the “Origin” would be sufficiently botanically minded to be interested in it, there will certainly be a great number of botanists who do not possess a copy of the Origin but who will buy the Orchids. This is what I wrote to Mr. Schweizerbart when I sent him the proofs; however I have asked him also to consult a genuine botanist, such as, for example, Mr. v. Mohl.7 Afterwards he will have to make an account of his expenses; and I think that he will himself inform you of his decision within no more than 18–24 days—since I have just been informed that he has left for the Leipzig fair, a journey that every publisher must make every year and which lasts 2 to 3 weeks.8
I have told you that I do not support your theory because, in spite of all the advantages it would have for science, it is still in opposition to some fundamental facts of science (the first development of an animal from inorganic matter), but nevertheless I am convinced that in the long run it will lead us on the path of truth.9 It is possible that, if I have enough time, I will add to the translation some interesting observations on the variability of species with respect to some characters that are believed to be the most constant.10
Please accept, Sir, the expression of my highest esteem, with which I have the honour, Sir, of being your obedient servant | H. G. Bronn
Footnotes
Bibliography
Börsenblatt für den Deutschen Buchhandel: Börsenblatt für den Deutschen Buchhandel und für die mit ihm verwandten Geschäftszweige herausgegeben von den Deputirten des Vereins der Buchhändler zu Leipzig. Leipzig: Vereins der Buchhändler. 1834–80.
Correspondence: The correspondence of Charles Darwin. Edited by Frederick Burkhardt et al. 29 vols to date. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. 1985–.
EB: The Encyclopædia Britannica. A dictionary of arts, sciences, literature and general information. 11th edition. 29 vols. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. 1910–11.
Junker, Thomas. 1991. Henrich Georg Bronn und die Entstehung der Arten. Sudhoffs Archiv Zeitschrift für Wissenschaftsgeschichte 75: 180–208. [Vols. 8,10]
Orchids: On the various contrivances by which British and foreign orchids are fertilised by insects, and on the good effects of intercrossing. By Charles Darwin. London: John Murray. 1862.
Origin 3d ed.: On the origin of species by means of natural selection, or the preservation of favoured races in the struggle for life. 3d edition, with additions and corrections. By Charles Darwin. London: John Murray. 1861.
Origin 4th ed.: On the origin of species by means of natural selection, or the preservation of favoured races in the struggle for life. 4th edition, with additions and corrections. By Charles Darwin. London: John Murray. 1866.
Origin: On the origin of species by means of natural selection, or the preservation of favoured races in the struggle for life. By Charles Darwin. London: John Murray. 1859.
Summary
Thanks for revisions in 2d ed. of Origin. Suggests correction regarding species numbers in the Tertiary.
Comments on pages of Orchids and problems of German translation.
Believes CD’s theory not yet proven, but that it will finally lead to truth.
Letter details
- Letter no.
- DCP-LETT-3561
- From
- Heinrich Georg Bronn
- To
- Charles Robert Darwin
- Sent from
- Heidelberg
- Source of text
- DAR 160.3: 321
- Physical description
- ALS 4pp (French) damaged †
Please cite as
Darwin Correspondence Project, “Letter no. 3561,” accessed on 19 April 2024, https://www.darwinproject.ac.uk/letter/?docId=letters/DCP-LETT-3561.xml
Also published in The Correspondence of Charles Darwin, vol. 10