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Darwin Correspondence Project

From Paul Broca1   5 August 1878

Exposition des Sciences Anthropologiques | Paris,

le 5 août 1878

Cher et illustre Collègue,

Un congrès international des sciences anthropologiques aura lieu à Paris du 16 au 21 de ce mois. Il sera suivi immédiatement de la 7ème. session de l’association française pour l’avancement des sciences qui siègera du 22 au 29 août.

Vous avez dû recevoir il y a quelques jours le programme du congrès anthropologique; je vous en envoie un nouveau par le courrier de ce jour.2 Mais je tiens à vous exprimer, en mon nom, et au nom de toute la commission d’organisation, toute la joie et tous l’orgueuil que nous éprouverions si vous nous fairiéz l’honneur d’assister à notre congrès.

Personellement, je pousse plus loin l’ambition et j’espère que vous voudrez bien accepter l’hospitalité dans ma maison. Vous y serez au centre de Paris, sur la Seine, à deux pas de l’Institut (qui s’est enfin décidé à vous élire!!!).3 Ma femme4 joint ses instances aux miennes, pour avoir le bonheur de posséder sous notre toit un hôte tel que vous, et elle espère, comme moi, que madame Darwin voudra bien vous accompagner

Si vous avoir l’habitude d’amener avec vous un domestique dans vos voyages, nous mettrons aisément une chambre de domestique à votre disposition

Veuillez agréer, cher et illustre collègue, l’expression de mon dèvouement respectueux. | P Broca

Footnotes

For a translation of this letter, see Appendix I.
The programme sent to CD has not been found. A report of the proceedings was published (Congrès international des sciences anthropologiques 1878).
CD had recently been elected a corresponding member in the botanical section of the Académie des sciences (Academy of Sciences of the Institute of France); he had been nominated on six previous occasions in the zoological section (see letter from J.-B. Dumas and Joseph Bertrand, 5 August 1878 and n. 2).

Bibliography

Congrès international des sciences anthropologiques 1878: Congrès international des sciences anthropologiques, 1878 (août, 16–21). Paris: Imprimerie nationale. 1880.

Translation

From Paul Broca1   5 August 1878

Exposition des Sciences Anthropologiques | Paris,

le 5 August 1878

Dear and renowned colleague,

An international congress of the anthropological sciences will take place in Paris from the 16 to 21 of this month. It will be followed immediately by the 7th. session of the French Association for the Advancement of Sciences, which will sit from the 22 to 29 August.

You must have received some days ago the program of the anthropological congress; I send you a new one by today’s post.2 But I want to express, in my name, and in the name of the whole organizing committee, all the joy and pride that we would feel if you would do us the honour of attending our congress.

Personally, my ambition extends further and I hope that you will kindly accept the hospitality of my house. There you will be in the centre of Paris, on the Seine, two steps from the Institute (which finally decided to elect you!!!).3 My wife4 joins her entreaties to mine, to have the happiness of having under our roof such a guest as you, and she hopes, like me, that Mrs Darwin would kindly wish to accompany you

If you generally bring with you a servant in your travels, we will easily place a servant’s room at your disposal.

Please accept, dear and renowned colleague, the expression of my respectful devotion. | P Broca

Footnotes

For a transcription of this letter in its original French, see Transcript.
The programme sent to CD has not been found. A report of the proceedings was published (Congrès international des sciences anthropologiques 1878).
CD had recently been elected a corresponding member in the botanical section of the Académie des sciences (Academy of Sciences of the Institute of France); he had been nominated on six previous occasions in the zoological section (see letter from J.-B. Dumas and Joseph Bertrand, 5 August 1878 and n. 2).

Bibliography

Congrès international des sciences anthropologiques 1878: Congrès international des sciences anthropologiques, 1878 (août, 16–21). Paris: Imprimerie nationale. 1880.

Summary

Invites CD and Mrs Darwin to stay at his home if they plan to attend the International Congress of Anthropological Sciences, 16–21 August, and the seventh session of the French Association for the Advancement of Science, 22–9 August.

Letter details

Letter no.
DCP-LETT-11647
From
Pierre Paul (Paul) Broca
To
Charles Robert Darwin
Sent from
Paris
Source of text
DAR 160: 314
Physical description
ALS 3pp (French)

Please cite as

Darwin Correspondence Project, “Letter no. 11647,” accessed on 19 April 2024, https://www.darwinproject.ac.uk/letter/?docId=letters/DCP-LETT-11647.xml

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