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To Achille Quadri1   9 August 1869

Beckenham,

9 Agosto 1869

Caro Signore

Io ricevei poco fa le due copie della sua opera—Teoria Darwiniana—che Ella fu si gentile di mandarmi.2

Ne presentai una alla Società Reale, poichè presso di essa può essere veduta e consultata con tutta facilità dagli altri.3 Per mala sorte io non intendo l’italiano, e me ne dispiace sommamente, perchè dalle poche parole che ho potuto capire; e dall’osservare le note a piè di pagina, vedo che Ella ha consultato un numero prodigioso di opere, ed ha trattato certi soggetti in una maniera sistematica la quale mi avrebbe di utilissima guida.

Mia moglie ha tradotto alcuni passi: fra gli altri l’esposizione dei rapporti che passano fra i ditisci (o gli idrofili in generale—water beetles) e i culicidae (zanzare ed insetti affini), il che è singolarissima cosa, e nuova per me.4

Non dubito punto che la sua opera non sia per rendere eccellente servizio a sostegno e diffusione delle opinioni che noi due seguiamo.

Finalmente La ringrazio dell’onorevolissima menzione che spesso Ella fa del mio nome.

Mi creda, caro Signore, coi migliori miei augurî e col più gran rispetto suo devotissimo | Ch. Darwin

Footnotes

1
For a translation of this letter, see Appendix I. The original letter, written in English, has not been found; it was translated into Italian for publication in a memorial volume dedicated to Quadri (Anon. 1896).
2
CD’s inscribed, annotated copy of Note alla teoria Darwiniana (Notes on Darwinian theory; Quadri 1869) is in the Darwin Library–CUL (see Marginalia 1: 690).
3
The second copy of Quadri 1869 is in the library of the Royal Society (RCN 59917).
4
In Quadri 1869, p. 28, Quadri explained the sharp drop in numbers of mosquitoes (family Culicidae) and crane flies (family Tipulidae) in an area he visited every year, noting that there had been an invasion of dagger flies (family Empididae) the previous spring. The explosion in dagger-fly numbers was itself the result of the scarcity of water beetles (family Dytiscidae) the year before, since water-beetle larvae preyed on dagger flies. Quadri had given the example as an analogue to the relation between the number of cats and the frequency of clover in an area of countryside described in Origin, pp. 73–4. CD annotated the section in his copy of Quadri 1869 (Marginalia 1: 690).

Bibliography

Quadri, Achille. 1869. Note alla teoria Darwiniana. Bologna: Giuseppe Vitali.

Translation

To Achille Quadri1   9 August 1869

Beckenham,

9 August 1869

Dear Sir

I received a short time ago two copies of your work —Teoria Darwiniana—which you were so kind as to send me.2

I presented one of them to the Royal Society, because there it can be seen and easily consulted by others.3 Unfortunately I do not understand Italian, and I regret it much, because from the few words that I can understand; and from looking at the footnotes, I see that you have consulted a prodigious number of works, and have treated certain subjects in such a systematic way that it would have served me as a most useful handbook.

My wife has translated some passages: among others the description of the analogies between the Dytiscidae (or hydrophili in general—water beetles) and the Culicidae (mosquitoes and related insects), it is a very singular thing, and new to me.4

I have no doubt at all that your work will render excellent service by strengthening and spreading the beliefs that we both follow.

Finally I thank you for the very honourable mention which you frequently make of my name.

Believe me, dear Sir, with my best wishes and with the greatest respect yours faithfully | Ch. Darwin

Footnotes

1
For a transcription of the letter in the Italian of its printed source, see pp. 495.
2
CD’s inscribed, annotated copy of Note alla teoria Darwiniana (Notes on Darwinian theory; Quadri 1869) is in the Darwin Library–CUL (see Marginalia 1: 690).
3
The second copy of Quadri 1869 is in the library of the Royal Society (RCN 59917).
4
In Quadri 1869, p. 28, Quadri explained the sharp drop in numbers of mosquitoes (family Culicidae) and crane flies (family Tipulidae) in an area he visited every year, noting that there had been an invasion of dagger flies (family Empididae) the previous spring. The explosion in dagger-fly numbers was itself the result of the scarcity of water beetles (family Dytiscidae) the year before, since water-beetle larvae preyed on dagger flies. Quadri had given the example as an analogue to the relation between the number of cats and the frequency of clover in an area of countryside described in Origin, pp. 73–4. CD annotated the section in his copy of Quadri 1869 (Marginalia 1: 690).

Bibliography

Quadri, Achille. 1869. Note alla teoria Darwiniana. Bologna: Giuseppe Vitali.

Summary

Thanks for two copies of Teoria Darwiniana, one of which has been sent to the Royal Society.

Letter details

Letter no.
DCP-LETT-6859F
From
Charles Robert Darwin
To
Achille Quadri
Sent from
Down
Source of text
Anon. 1896
Physical description
Printed trans (Italian)

Please cite as

Darwin Correspondence Project, “Letter no. 6859F,” accessed on 25 April 2024, https://www.darwinproject.ac.uk/letter/?docId=letters/DCP-LETT-6859F.xml

Also published in The Correspondence of Charles Darwin, vol. 24 (Supplement)

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