From K. E. von Baer 5 May 1873
Dorpat
23 April/5 Mai 18731
Sir | and most illustrious naturalist.
I am told you wish a photography of me. That is a great honour for me. I send therefore a photogra photography made when I was near to my 66th. year of age.2 There are others of a more recent time but they express too much the decline of age. I am now in my 80th year
I possess your portrait in Octavo from the German translation of your work on variation.3 But I habe a collection a collection of little photographical portraits of naturalists in a so called album und there your photography is wantig. If you could send me a such cart as mein in this lettre, you would very much oblige me.
I beg you Sir, to excuse the audacity to write to you in English.
Your most obedient and respectfull | Dr K. E. v Baer
Footnotes
Bibliography
Correspondence: The correspondence of Charles Darwin. Edited by Frederick Burkhardt et al. 29 vols to date. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. 1985–.
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
Has been told CD wants photo of him; sends one. Requests a portrait photo of CD for his album. KEvB apologises for his English and his shaky hand; he is 88 years old.
Letter details
- Letter no.
- DCP-LETT-8900
- From
- Karl Ernst von Baer
- To
- Charles Robert Darwin
- Sent from
- Dorpat Tartu
- Source of text
- DAR 160: 15
- Physical description
- ALS 2pp
Please cite as
Darwin Correspondence Project, “Letter no. 8900,” accessed on 26 September 2022, https://www.darwinproject.ac.uk/letter/?docId=letters/DCP-LETT-8900.xml
Also published in The Correspondence of Charles Darwin, vol. 21
