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Darwin Correspondence Project

To G. E. Mengozzi1   [before 28] October 18802

Londra, [Down.]

Ottobre 1880.

Caro signore,

Vi ringrazio per le vostre estremamente cortesi lettere.3 Il tentare una risposta alle questioni che Voi mi avete fatto l’onore d’indirizzarmi (per quanto io le comprenda) sarebbe una lunga impresa, e io sono in debole salute e il lavoro mi affaticherebbe molto. Ma avendo con l’ultima vostra compreso più chiaramente la questione, io volentieri risponderò ad essa come meglio potrò.— Io non credo che nessun essere organico dimostra evidenza di disegno. Se Voi vi date la pena di leggere le ultime due pagine della mia Variazione degli Animali e delle Piante sotto la domesticazione, Voi in parte rinverrete le mie ragioni. Ma sebbene nessun organismo può mostrare disegno, ciò in nessun modo esclude la credenza nell’esistenza di un amoroso Creatore di tutte le cose. L’evidenza di un tale Creatore bisogna che sia indagata, come a me sembra, ancora fuori dei limiti della Scienza Fisica. Il problema è uno dei più difficili. Dall’altro lato io so che molti uomini, le cui menti sono incomparabilmente più chiare e profonde della mia (ed io non ho mai atteso abbastanza alle questioni metafisiche e religiose) sono convinti che l’evidenza dell’esistenza di Dio è quasi evidente per se stessa.

Mi fo premura accusarvi ricevimento e ringraziarvi per il dono del vostro magnifico volume sulla Filosofia della Medicina.4 Di più vi prego ad essere così buono da portare alla vostra Società, La Scuola Italica, residente in Roma, i molti miei cordiali ringraziamenti pel grande onore che in si distinta maniera mi conferiscono.5

Pregovi di accettare i miei migliori ringraziamenti per le vostre molto amabili espressioni inverso di me, mentre io rimango, caro Signore, con molto rispetto, | Professor Mengozzi M. D. | Vostro fedelmente e molto obligato | Carlo Darwin.

Footnotes

For a translation of this letter, see Appendix I.
The date is established by the relationship between this letter and the letter from G. E. Mengozzi, 28 October 1880.
The only known letter from Mengozzi prior to 28 October 1880 is dated 17 October 1880.
CD’s copy of Mengozzi 1869, bearing an inscription in Italian by Mengozzi, is now in the Linnean Society.
The Scuola Italica, of which Mengozzi was founder and president, aimed to ‘honour’ CD’s studies by showing that his scientific conclusions were not incompatible with a belief in a creator (see letter from G. E. Mengozzi, 17 October 1880).

Bibliography

Mengozzi, Giovanni Ettore. 1869. Della filosofia della medicina. Livorno: Scuola Italica.

Translation

To G. E. Mengozzi1   [before 28] October 18802

London,

October 1880.

Dear Sir,

Thank you for your extremely courteous letters.3 To attempt a reply to the questions which you have done the honour of directing to me (as far as I understand them) would be a lengthy undertaking, and I am in poor health and the task would much fatigue me. But having with your last understood the question more clearly, I will willingly answer that as best I can.— I do not believe that any living being shows evidence of design. If you take the trouble to read the last two pages of my Variation of Animals and Plants under domestication, you will partly discover my reasons. But even though no creature can show design, that in no way excludes belief in the existence of a loving Creator of all things. Rather the evidence for such a Creator must be sought, as it seems to me, outside the boundaries of Physical Science. It is one of the most difficult problems. On the other hand I know that many men, whose minds are incomparably clearer and deeper than mine (and I have never attended sufficiently to metaphysical and religious questions) are convinced that the evidence for the existence of God is pretty well completely self-evident.

I must acknowledge receipt from you and to thank you for the gift of your magnificent volume on the Philosophy of Medicine.4 In addition I beg you to have the goodness to pass on to your Society, The Scuola Italica, based in Rome, my very cordial thanks for the very great honour which they are conferring on me in so distinguished a manner.5

I beg you to accept my best thanks for your most kind expressions addressed to me, while I remain, my dear Sir, with much respect, | Professor Mengozzi M.D. | Yours faithfully and much obliged | Charles Darwin.

Footnotes

For a transcription of this letter in its original Italian, see pp. 356–7.
The date is established by the relationship between this letter and the letter from G. E. Mengozzi, 28 October 1880.
The only known letter from Mengozzi prior to 28 October 1880 is dated 17 October 1880.
CD’s copy of Mengozzi 1869, bearing an inscription in Italian by Mengozzi, is now in the Linnean Society.
The Scuola Italica, of which Mengozzi was founder and president, aimed to ‘honour’ CD’s studies by showing that his scientific conclusions were not incompatible with a belief in a creator (see letter from G. E. Mengozzi, 17 October 1880).

Bibliography

Mengozzi, Giovanni Ettore. 1869. Della filosofia della medicina. Livorno: Scuola Italica.

Summary

Does not believe any organic being is evidence of design; refers GEM to the last pages of Variation for his reasons. Even if no organism shows evidence of design, this does not preclude faith in the existence of a loving creator; evidence of such a creator must be looked for outside the limits of physical science.

Thanks him for the volume on the philosophy of medicine,

and asks him to convey to the Scuola Italica thanks for the great honour they have done him.

Letter details

Letter no.
DCP-LETT-12778F
From
Charles Robert Darwin
To
Giovanni Ettore Mengozzi
Sent from
[Down]
Source of text
Roma Etrusca 2 (1881): 10
Physical description
(Italian)

Please cite as

Darwin Correspondence Project, “Letter no. 12778F,” accessed on 29 March 2024, https://www.darwinproject.ac.uk/letter/?docId=letters/DCP-LETT-12778F.xml

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