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From H. G. Bronn1   [before 11 March 1862]2

⁠⟨⁠    ⁠⟩⁠

⁠⟨⁠    ⁠⟩⁠

Hochverehrter Herr!

Nachdem ich im Laufe des letzten Jahres ang⁠⟨⁠estrengt⁠⟩⁠ mit zoologischen Arbeiten beschäftigt gewesen ⁠⟨⁠bin, brachte⁠⟩⁠ mich ein von Herrn Schweizerbart erhaltener ⁠⟨⁠Brief⁠⟩⁠ zur Natural Selection zurück, indem mich dersel⁠⟨⁠be be⁠⟩⁠nachrichtigt, dass die Deutsche Auflage von “Origin of Species” (welche übrigens nicht sehr stark gewesen ist) wohl in Jahres-Frist vergriffen seyn werde;3 so daß dann eine neue Auflage veranstaltet werden würde. Ich erlaube mir deshalb die ergebene Anfrage an Sie zu richten, ob nicht auch eine Englische neue Auflage bevorstehe,—ob dieselbe Abänderungen und Zusätze erhalten werde—oder ob (auch wenn Solches nicht der Fall) Sie wünschen würden, Abänderungen oder Zusätze zur Deutschen Ausgabe zu machen?4 Vielleicht steht auch das Erscheinen des größeren Werkes in mehren Bänden bevor, welches Sie dem Kleineren folgen zu lassen die Absicht gehabt haben?5

⁠⟨⁠Ich ha⁠⟩⁠be wohl ein Dutzend Kritiken Ihres ⁠⟨⁠Wer⁠⟩⁠kes in Deutschen, Holländischen, Englischen und ⁠⟨⁠A⁠⟩⁠merikanischen Zeitschriften gelesen, günstige und ⁠⟨⁠v⁠⟩⁠iele ungünstige. Indeßen haben sie an meinem Urtheile nichts geändert.6

1) Ich sehe in Ihrer Theorie den einzigen natürlichen Weg zur endlichen Auflösung des Räthsels der Schöpfung.

2) Ihre Theorie steht aber in Widerspruch mit dem jetzigen Stande unsrer Kenntniße von Bildung organischer Materie aus unorganischer, von Belebung organischer Materie und deren Gestaltung zu organischer Form ohne älterlichen Einfluss

3). Unsre Kenntniße in dieser Beziehung sind aber negative;—und es lässt sich nicht behaupten, daß nicht spätre Entdeckungen uns in Besitz solcher positiver Kenntnisse bringen werden welche Ihre Theorie anzunehmen gestatten. Wenn man Ihre Theorie auch jetzt nicht zulassen kann, so darf man sie doch nicht für alle Zeit verwerfen!

Ich habe unter den vielen Urtheilen über Ihre Theorie keines gefunden, was mit dem meinigen übereinstimmte; aber ich halte das meinige für richtig. Aber alle Urtheile über Ihr Buch waren günstig

Sie haben mir unlängst einen Aufsatz über Primula gesendet, wofür ich herzlich danke.7 Ich habe ihn mit vielen Interesse gelesen, wie ich überhaupt alle auf Ihre Theorie bezüglichen Beobachtungen und Erscheinungen sorgfältig zu beachten gewohnt bin; viele erregen meine Theilnahme die ich sonst übersehen haben würde.

Indem ich Sie bitte, die Versicherung meiner ausgezeichnetesten Hochschätzung zu genehmigen, habe ich die Ehre zu verbleiben | Ihr | ergebenster Diener | H. G. Bronn

CD annotations

Top of letter: ‘New Edit— | Orchid Book’ ink

Footnotes

1
For a translation of this letter, see Correspondence vol. 10, Appendix I.
2
Dated by the relationship to the letter to H. G. Bronn, 11 March [1862].
3
Bronn had translated Origin into German soon after its publication in November 1859. The German edition (Bronn trans. 1860) was published in Stuttgart by the firm of E. Schweizerbart’sche Verlagsbuchhandlung, under the direction of Christian Friedrich Schweizerbart. See Correspondence vol. 8, letter to T. H. Huxley, 2 [February 1860], and letters to H. G. Bronn, 4 February [1860] and 5 October [1860], and letter from H. G. Bronn, 13 [or 15] October 1860.
4
The first German edition of Origin (Bronn trans. 1860) had been translated from the second English edition (see Correspondence vol. 8, letter to H. G. Bronn, 4 February [1860], and this volume, letter to H. G. Bronn, 25 April [1862]). A third English edition was issued in April 1861, and it was from this that the second German edition (Bronn trans. 1863) was prepared (see letter to H. G. Bronn, 11 March [1862]).
5
CD had originally planned to publish his account of the origin of species by means of natural selection as a multi-volume treatise (see Correspondence vols. 6 and 7), but was persuaded to postpone this project in favour of producing an ‘abstract’ of his material, Origin (see, for example, Correspondence vol. 7, letter to Charles Lyell, 18 July [1858]). The only part of the projected larger work that was published during CD’s lifetime was Variation (1868).
6
For a list of the reviews of Origin that appeared in 1860, see Correspondence vol. 8, Appendix VII. Bronn included a final chapter in his translation of Origin that presented his own views of CD’s theory (Bronn trans. 1860, pp. 495–520). See also Bronn 1860, and Correspondence vol. 8, letter to H. G. Bronn, 14 July [1860], and letter from H. G. Bronn, 13 [or 15] October 1860. For a discussion of Bronn’s attitude towards CD’s theory, see Junker 1991.
7
The reference is to CD’s paper, ‘Dimorphic condition in Primula’. Bronn’s name is included on CD’s list of people to whom presentation copies of the paper were to be sent (see Correspondence vol. 10, Appendix III).

Bibliography

Correspondence: The correspondence of Charles Darwin. Edited by Frederick Burkhardt et al. 29 vols to date. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. 1985–.

‘Dimorphic condition in Primula’: On the two forms, or dimorphic condition, in the species of Primula, and on their remarkable sexual relations. By Charles Darwin. [Read 21 November 1861.] Journal of the Proceedings of the Linnean Society (Botany) 6 (1862): 77–96. [Collected papers 2: 45–63.]

Junker, Thomas. 1991. Henrich Georg Bronn und die Entstehung der Arten. Sudhoffs Archiv Zeitschrift für Wissenschaftsgeschichte 75: 180–208. [Vols. 8,10]

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.

Variation: The variation of animals and plants under domestication. By Charles Darwin. 2 vols. London: John Murray. 1868.

Translation

From H. G. Bronn1   [before 11 March 1862]2

Most honoured Sir,

After having been strenuously occupied last year with zoological work, a letter I received from Herr Schweizerbart brought me back to natural selection, since he informs me that the German edition of the “Origin of Species” (which, by the way, was not very large) will be out of print within the year,3 so that a new edition would have to be arranged. Permit me therefore to address the humble inquiry to you whether a new English edition is also imminent, and, if so, whether it will contain changes and additions—or whether (even if such is not the case) you would like to make alterations and additions to the German edition.4 Perhaps the larger work in several volumes, which was to follow the smaller one, is also about to appear?5

I have read about a dozen reviews of your book in German, Dutch, English, and American journals, some favourable and many unfavourable. However, they have not altered my own opinion.6

1) I see in your theory the only natural route to the final solution of the enigma of creation.

2) Yet, your theory contradicts the current state of our knowledge of the formation of organic matter from inorganic, of the vitality of organic matter and its organisation into organic form without previous influence

3). Our knowledge in this regard, however, is negative, and it cannot be maintained that future discoveries will not give us the kind of positive knowledge needed to be able to accept your theory. Even if your theory cannot be accepted at present, one cannot reject it for all time!

Among the many opinions of your theory, I have not found one that agrees with my own, but I consider mine correct. All judgments about your book, however, were favourable

Not long ago you sent me an article on Primula, for which I thank you cordially.7 I have read it with much interest, just as I generally study carefully all of the observations and phenomena connected to your theory. Many stimulate considerations that I might otherwise have overlooked.

Please accept the assurance of my highest esteem. I have the honour to remain | your humble servant | H. G. Bronn

Footnotes

1
For the transcription of this letter in its original German and CD’s annotations, see pp. 109–11.
2
Dated by the relationship to the letter to H. G. Bronn, 11 March [1862].
3
Bronn had translated Origin into German soon after its publication in November 1859. The German edition (Bronn trans. 1860) was published in Stuttgart by the firm of E. Schweizerbart’sche Verlagsbuchhandlung, under the direction of Christian Friedrich Schweizerbart. See Correspondence vol. 8, letter to T. H. Huxley, 2 [February 1860], and letters to H. G. Bronn, 4 February [1860] and 5 October [1860], and letter from H. G. Bronn, 13 [or 15] October [1860].
4
The first German edition of Origin (Bronn trans. 1860) had been translated from the second English edition (see Correspondence vol. 8, letter to H. G. Bronn, 4 February [1860], and this volume, letter to H. G. Bronn, 25 April [1862]). A third English edition was issued in April 1861, and it was from this that the second German edition (Bronn trans. 1863) was prepared (see letter to H. G. Bronn, 11 March [1862]).
5
CD had originally planned to publish his account of the origin of species by means of natural selection as a multi-volume treatise (see Correspondence vols. 6 and 7), but was persuaded to postpone this project in favour of producing an ‘abstract’ of his material, Origin (see, for example, Correspondence vol. 7, letter to Charles Lyell, 18 July [1858]). The only part of the projected larger work that was published during CD’s lifetime was Variation (1868).
6
For a list of the reviews of Origin that appeared in 1860, see Correspondence vol. 8, Appendix VII. Bronn included a final chapter in his translation of Origin that presented his own views of CD’s theory (Bronn trans. 1860, pp. 495–520). See also Bronn 1860a, and Correspondence vol. 8, letter to H. G. Bronn, 14 July [1860], and letter from H. G. Bronn, 13 [or 15] October 1860. For a discussion of Bronn’s attitude towards CD’s theory, see Junker 1991.
7
The reference is to CD’s paper, ‘Dimorphic condition in Primula’. Bronn’s name is included on CD’s list of people to whom presentation copies of the paper were to be sent (see Correspondence vol.10, Appendix III).

Bibliography

Correspondence: The correspondence of Charles Darwin. Edited by Frederick Burkhardt et al. 29 vols to date. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. 1985–.

‘Dimorphic condition in Primula’: On the two forms, or dimorphic condition, in the species of Primula, and on their remarkable sexual relations. By Charles Darwin. [Read 21 November 1861.] Journal of the Proceedings of the Linnean Society (Botany) 6 (1862): 77–96. [Collected papers 2: 45–63.]

Junker, Thomas. 1991. Henrich Georg Bronn und die Entstehung der Arten. Sudhoffs Archiv Zeitschrift für Wissenschaftsgeschichte 75: 180–208. [Vols. 8,10]

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.

Variation: The variation of animals and plants under domestication. By Charles Darwin. 2 vols. London: John Murray. 1868.

Summary

Asks if CD will have corrections for 2d German ed. of Origin.

CD’s theory only natural way to explain creation but contradicts current knowledge about origin of life from inorganic matter.

Has read Primula paper [Collected papers 2: 45–63] with interest.

Letter details

Letter no.
DCP-LETT-3363
From
Heinrich Georg Bronn
To
Charles Robert Darwin
Sent from
unstated
Source of text
DAR 160.3: 319
Physical description
ALS 3pp (German) damaged †

Please cite as

Darwin Correspondence Project, “Letter no. 3363,” accessed on 26 September 2022, https://www.darwinproject.ac.uk/letter/?docId=letters/DCP-LETT-3363.xml

Also published in The Correspondence of Charles Darwin, vol. 10

letter

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