From Rudolf Suchsland 16 March 1866
Swansea.
16th March 1866.
Sir,
Excuse the liberty I take in addressing you, without having the honour of your personal acquaintance. My object in writing to you is to ask your permission in the name of my father, Mr. F. E. Suchsland, publishing bookseller & head of the firm: Joh. Chr. Hermann’sche Verlagsbuchhandlung at Francfort on the Maine,1 to publish a German translation of your works, especially of the renowned book: “On the origin of species by means of natural selection, or the preservation of the favoured races in the struggle for life”.
It is true that one German translation by Professor Bronn of Heidelberg already exists; but as it is not generally considered a successful reproduction, I think, annother and more liberal translation has not only become a necessity for Germany considering the great importance and propagation of your theory there, but is also in your own interest.2
My father has already published two books by Dr. Rolle, which he took the liberty of sending to you viz: “Charles Darwin’s Lehre von der Entstehung der Arten im Pflanzen- & Thierreich in ihrer Anwendung auf die Schöpfungsgeschichte dargestellt & erläutert von Dr. Fr. Rolle.” & “Der Mensch, seine Abstammung & Gesittung im Lichte der Darwinschen Lehre von der Artentstehung & auf Grundlage der neueren geologischen Entdeckungen dargestellt von Dr. Fr. Rolle.”3
These two books have contributed greatly to the propagation of your theory in Germany.4 The first of them has been translated into the Russian language, while the second has been prohibited by the Russian Government.5
My father would, of course, try to secure the services of an eminent man of science for the purpose of translating your works & would also interest Dr. Rolle in the undertaking.6 But before doing so, he wishes to be sure of your consent & to know your conditions.
I deem it necessary to remark, that, at present, my father could not guarantee an immediate fixed payment seeing that the cost of translating and publishing would amount to no inconsiderable sum.
I shall feel much obliged by an early answer & remain | yours | most respectfully | R. Suchsland | 25. Belle Vue street | Swansea.
Charles Darwin Esq. | Down | South Kent.
Footnotes
Bibliography
Choldin, Marianna Tax. 1985. A fence around the empire: Russian censorship of western ideas under the tsars. Durham, N.C.: Duke University Press.
Correspondence: The correspondence of Charles Darwin. Edited by Frederick Burkhardt et al. 29 vols to date. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. 1985–.
Montgomery, William M. 1988. Germany. In The comparative reception of Darwinism, with a new preface, edited by Thomas F. Glick. Chicago and London: University of Chicago Press.
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.
Rogers, James Allen. 1988. Russia: social sciences. In The comparative reception of Darwinism, edited by Thomas F. Glick. Chicago and London: University of Chicago Press.
Rolle, Friedrich. 1863. Chs. Darwin’s Lehre von der Entstehung der Arten im Pflanzen- und Thierreich in ihrer Anwendung auf die Schöpfungsgeschichte. Frankfurt: J. C. Hermann.
Rolle, Friedrich. 1866. Der Mensch, seine Abstammung und Gesittung, im Lichte der Darwin’schen Lehre von der Art-Entstehung und auf Grundlage der neuern geologischen Entdeckungen dargestellt. Frankfurt: J. C. Hermann.
Usov, Sergei A. trans. 1865. Uchenie Darvina O proiskhozhdenii vidov obsheponiatno izlozhennoe Fridrikhom Rolle. [Translation of Rolle 1863.] Moscow: A. I. Glazunov.
Vladimirskii, M. trans. 1864. Karla Darvina uchenie o proiskhozhdenie vidov v karstve rastenii i zhivotnykh, primenennoe k istorii mirotvoreniya izlozheno i obyasneno Fridrikhom Rolle. [Translation of Rolle 1863.] With a supplementary biography of Darwin compiled by S. Seneman. St Petersburg: M. O. Vol’fa.
Summary
Asks, on behalf of his father, whether he might publish a new German translation of the Origin, believing Bronn’s to be inadequate.
Letter details
- Letter no.
- DCP-LETT-5035
- From
- Georg Rudolf Emil (Rudolf) Suchsland
- To
- Charles Robert Darwin
- Sent from
- Swansea
- Source of text
- DAR 177: 271
- Physical description
- ALS 4pp
Please cite as
Darwin Correspondence Project, “Letter no. 5035,” accessed on 24 April 2024, https://www.darwinproject.ac.uk/letter/?docId=letters/DCP-LETT-5035.xml
Also published in The Correspondence of Charles Darwin, vol. 14
