To Hermann Müller 23 February [1868]1
Down, Bromley, Kent
Feb: 23.
My dear Sir
When your brother’s work “Für Darwin” appeared, I was anxious that it should be published in England; but I was then much out of health and knew no one fit to translate it.2 I have now found a very capable man, Mr. Dallas, who translated von Siebold and many papers for Annals & Mag. of Nat. History.3 Do you think your brother would like to see it translated? it could not now injure sale in Germany. It could only be published on what is called “on commission”,—that is, I should have to pay all expenses, translation &c, and the publisher would charge percentage on sale. I think I could get our great publisher Mr. Murray to undertake its publication on commission, and his name would be a great advantage.4 But I should not be willing myself to undertake the expense, except on following terms, viz, to have the use or loan of the woodcuts for nothing or for a very small sum, and then I would agree to pay over the whole of the profits (after all expenses have been deducted) to your brother or his publisher. Of course it is a mere chance whether there will be profits: purely scientific works do not sell well in England; but on the other hand there is much interest at present on the modification of species.—
I do not know on what terms Engelmann of Leipzig published your brother’s book;5 but if you feel nearly sure that your brother would approve of a Translation, would you have the kindness to write and negotiate with Engelmann, and let me soon hear the result. If we can come to terms, I would set Mr. Dallas (who is a busy man and cannot give up all his time) to work, and I would then write to your brother for any corrections or moderate additions, and not begin printing till we hear from him. How soon would answer come?
I hope that you will be so kind as to oblige me on this head; the publication of your brother’s book would I am sure do good for our cause in England. Many thanks for Bot. Zeitung; but the copy unfortunately was imperfect, and pages 49, 50, 51 and 52 were missing.— Is it a review of the article which you formerly sent me?6
Footnotes
Bibliography
Correspondence: The correspondence of Charles Darwin. Edited by Frederick Burkhardt et al. 29 vols to date. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. 1985–.
Müller, Fritz. 1864a. Für Darwin. Leipzig: Wilhelm Engelmann.
Müller, Hermann. 1867. Thatsachen der Laubmooskunde für Darwin. Botanische Zeitung, 25: 374–6, 380–1.
Siebold, Karl Theodor Ernst von. 1856. Wahre Parthenogenesis bei Schmetterlingen und Bienen. Ein Beitrag zur Fortpflanzungsgeschichte der Thiere. Leipzig. [Vols. 7,8]
Siebold, Karl Theodor Ernst von. 1857. On a true parthenogenesis in moths and bees; a contribution to the history of reproduction in animals. Translated by William S. Dallas. London: John van Voorst.
Summary
Offers to undertake publication of English translation of Fritz Müller’s Für Darwin. W. S. Dallas will translate it.
Letter details
- Letter no.
- DCP-LETT-5919
- From
- Charles Robert Darwin
- To
- Heinrich Ludwig Hermann (Hermann) Müller
- Sent from
- Down
- Source of text
- DAR 146: 430
- Physical description
- C 3pp
Please cite as
Darwin Correspondence Project, “Letter no. 5919,” accessed on 19 April 2024, https://www.darwinproject.ac.uk/letter/?docId=letters/DCP-LETT-5919.xml
Also published in The Correspondence of Charles Darwin, vol. 16