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Darwin Correspondence Project

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

For a translation of this letter, see Appendix I.
Saporta’s photograph has not been found in the Darwin Archive–CUL.
Saporta’s book, Le monde des plantes avant l’apparition de l’homme (The world of plants before the appearance of man; Saporta 1879), was published in December 1878 (see Correspondence vol. 26, letter from Gaston de Saporta, 9 August 1878, and letter to Gaston de Saporta, 22 December 1878). CD’s copy is in the Darwin Library–CUL. The book gave a overview of the stages through which prehistoric vegetation had passed, and was based on earlier articles by Saporta. On the critical reception of CD’s theories in France, see Harvey 2008 and Tort 2008.

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

For a transcription of this letter in its original French, see Transcript.
Saporta’s photograph has not been found in the Darwin Archive–CUL.
Saporta’s book, Le monde des plantes avant l’apparition de l’homme (The world of plants before the appearance of man; Saporta 1879), was published in December 1878 (see Correspondence vol. 26, letter from Gaston de Saporta, 9 August 1878, and letter to Gaston de Saporta, 22 December 1878). CD’s copy is in the Darwin Library–CUL. The book gave a overview of the stages through which prehistoric vegetation had passed, and was based on earlier articles by Saporta. On the critical reception of CD’s theories in France, see Harvey 2008 and Tort 2008.

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 16 April 2024, https://www.darwinproject.ac.uk/letter/?docId=letters/DCP-LETT-11830.xml

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