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Darwin Correspondence Project

From Ernst Krause1   20 October 1879

Berlin N.O. Friedenstrasse 10. II.

den 20 October 1879.

Hochverehrter Herr!

Mit bestem Danke sende ich Ihnen hierbei unter Kreuzband die Correc⁠⟨⁠tionen⁠⟩⁠ zurück.2 Von Fehlern habe ich nur noch bemerkt

p. 138 l. 8 offsprings for offspring

p. 170. l. 12 biogenetical for biological.3

Der Letztere ist wahrscheinlich ein Schreibfehler im Manuscript; vielleicht lässt er sich noch unter den Erratis am Schlusse anführen.

Die deutsche Ausgabe ist im Drucke noch nicht begonnen obwohl der Verleger schon lange im Besitze des Manuscriptes ist, ich weiss nicht, woran die Verzögerung liegt.4

M. Reinwald will, wie ich höre, nur Ihre biographische Skizze uebersetzen lassen, wobei aber wahrscheinlich nur ein Missverständniss unterliegt.5 Derselbe hatte nämlich an meinen Verleg⁠⟨⁠er⁠⟩⁠ geschrieben, und dieser hatte, ohne dass zwischen uns die Sache besprochen worden war, in meinem Namen ein Honorar von 60 Mark pro Bogen verlangt. Obwohl das eigentlich keine hohe Summe ist, und es sich im Ganzen um eine Zahlung von 100 M. an mich handeln würde, hat M. Reinwald dies für exorbitant erklärt, und die Absicht ausgedrückt, er werde meinen Theil nicht mitabdrücken. Ich theile Ihnen diese Details nur mit, damit Sie nicht von Paris her in den Glauben versetzt werden, ich hätte eine irgendwie namhafte Summe verlangt. Mir liegt so wenig an dem Gelderwerb, dass ich ihm gern das Uebersetzungsrecht umsonst ertheilen würde, allein da es sich hierbei offenbar um eine Anim⁠⟨⁠osi⁠⟩⁠tät des Franzosen gegen den Deutschen handelt, so werde ich meinerseits nicht nachgeben, und eher das Doppelte verlangen.

Darf ich Sie wohl später, hochverehrter Herr, mit der Bitte belästigen, mir noch über einige in Ihrer Biographie auftretende Personen, von denen unsre biographischen Werke nichts wissen, und die ich Ihnen dann namhaft machen würde, einige ganz kurze Notizen für die Anmerkungen zu geben? Es werden nur 3 oder 4 Namen sein.6

In der Redaction des Kosmos ist eine Veränderung in sofern eingetreten als Prof. Jaeger und Caspari nicht mehr auf dem Titel erscheinen. Prof. Jaeger ⁠⟨⁠ha⁠⟩⁠tte durch sein lärmendes Auftreten in letzter Zeit eine so lebhafte Antipathie gegen sich hervorgerufen, dass sein Name den Fortbestand unseres Journals ernstlich gefährdet haben würde.7 Da beide Herren sich gar nicht um die Redaction gekümmert haben, so ist durch ihren Austritt in technischer Richtung keine Veränderung entstanden, und wir hoffen sogar, dass dadurch das Journal nur gewinnen wird.

Mit dem herzlichen Wunsche, dass diese Zeilen Sie in erwünschtem Wohlsein antreffen mögen, zeichne ich, hochverehrter Herr | Ihr aufrichtig ergebener | Ernst Krause

Footnotes

For a translation of this letter, see Appendix I.
Krause had evidently seen corrected proofs of the translation of his part of Erasmus Darwin (see also letter from Ernst Krause, 2 October 1879).
Both these corrections were made in the printed book.
The German version of Erasmus Darwin was published by Karl Alberts of the publishing company Ernst Günther in April 1880 (Correspondence vol. 28, letter to Ernst Krause, 19 April 1880).
Charles-Ferdinand Reinwald published French translations of CD’s works; however, no French translation of Erasmus Darwin was published. See also letter to Ernst Krause, 5 [May] 1879.
For the list of names, see the letter from Ernst Krause, 14 November 1879.
Gustav Jäger and Otto Caspari. Jäger may have offended his co-editors by his efforts, from 1878 onwards, to publicise his sanitary woollen system (see Jaeger 1886), based on his theory that the odours of the human body had physical and psychological effects (see Jaeger 1880, a collection of reprints of essays originally published from 1876 onwards in Kosmos and other periodicals).

Bibliography

Jaeger, Gustav. 1880. Die Entdeckung der Seele. 2d edition. Leipzig: Ernst Günther’s Verlag.

Jaeger, Gustav. 1886. Selections from essays on health-culture and the sanitary woollen system. Translated from the German. London: Dr. Jaeger’s Sanitary Woollen System Co.

Translation

From Ernst Krause1   20 October 1879

Berlin N.O. Friedenstrasse 10. II.

20 October 1879.

Most esteemed Sir!

With my best thanks I herewith return under wrapper the corrections.2 Regarding errors I noticed only

p. 138 l. 8 offsprings for offspring

p. 170. l. 12 biogenetical for biological.3

The latter probably is a misspelling in the manuscript; perhaps it is not too late for it to be listed among the errata at the end.

The German edition has not yet gone to print, although the publisher has had the manuscript for quite a while, I do not know the reason for the delay.4

I hear M. Reinwald will arrange for just your biographical sketch to be translated, but this is in all likelihood merely a misunderstanding.5 You see, he approached my publisher who, without the matter being discussed between us, demanded in my name royalties of 60 marks per sheet. While this is in itself not a large sum and would mean paying me 100 marks in total, M. Reinwald declared it excessive and expressed the intention not to print my contribution. I am informing you of these details merely so you will not be left with the impression from Paris that I had in any manner demanded the sum in question. I have so little interest in earning money that I would gladly give him the rights to the translation free of charge; however, as this is obviously a matter of the animosity of a Frenchman against a German, I for my part will not give in, but rather demand twice as much.

Perhaps I may trouble you, esteemed Sir, later on with the request to supply very brief notes for endnotes regarding a number of persons who come up in your biography and about whom our biographical works know nothing, and whom I would then identify? This would not be more than 3 or 4 names.6

In the editorial department of Kosmos a change has occurred insofar as Prof. Jaeger and Caspari no longer appear on the title-page. Prof. Jaeger’s clamorous behaviour in recent times created such heated antipathy towards him that his name would seriously have endangered the continued existence of the journal.7 Since neither of these men bothered at all with the running of the journal, their departure has not caused any practical changes, and we even hope that the journal will only profit from it.

With the cordial wish that these lines will find you in a desirable state of health, I remain, most esteemed Sir | Yours sincerely devoted | Ernst Krause

Footnotes

For a transcription of this letter in its original German, see Transcript.
Krause had evidently seen corrected proofs of the translation of his part of Erasmus Darwin (see also letter from Ernst Krause, 2 October 1879).
Both these corrections were made in the printed book.
The German version of Erasmus Darwin was published by Karl Alberts of the publishing company Ernst Günther in April 1880 (Correspondence vol. 28, letter to Ernst Krause, 19 April 1880).
Charles-Ferdinand Reinwald published French translations of CD’s works; however, no French translation of Erasmus Darwin was published. See also letter to Ernst Krause, 5 [May] 1879.
For the list of names, see the letter from Ernst Krause, 14 November 1879.
Gustav Jäger and Otto Caspari. Jäger may have offended his co-editors by his efforts, from 1878 onwards, to publicise his sanitary woollen system (see Jaeger 1886), based on his theory that the odours of the human body had physical and psychological effects (see Jaeger 1880, a collection of reprints of essays originally published from 1876 onwards in Kosmos and other periodicals).

Bibliography

Jaeger, Gustav. 1880. Die Entdeckung der Seele. 2d edition. Leipzig: Ernst Günther’s Verlag.

Jaeger, Gustav. 1886. Selections from essays on health-culture and the sanitary woollen system. Translated from the German. London: Dr. Jaeger’s Sanitary Woollen System Co.

Summary

Sends corrections. Printing of German edition has not yet begun.

Charles Reinwald wishes to print only CD’s sketch. French hostility to Germans the reason.

Gustav Jäger and Robert Caspary no longer on title-page of Kosmos.

Letter details

Letter no.
DCP-LETT-12264
From
Ernst Ludwig (Ernst) Krause
To
Charles Robert Darwin
Sent from
Berlin
Source of text
DAR 92: B41–2
Physical description
ALS 4pp (German)

Please cite as

Darwin Correspondence Project, “Letter no. 12264,” accessed on 25 April 2024, https://www.darwinproject.ac.uk/letter/?docId=letters/DCP-LETT-12264.xml

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