From Samuel Butler to the Athenæum [before 31 January 1880]
Summary
Darwin’s ‘Life or Erasmus Darwin’ came out in November 1879, after the March 1879 publication of Samuel Butler’s ‘Evolution Old and New’. CD guarantees accuracy of a translation in the book of an article from Kosmos. CD said article appeared before ‘Evolution Old and New,’ but Butler thinks it takes material from it. Otherwise, CD published another article entirely. Butler strongly criticizes the translation published by CD. Describes correspondence with CD about the matter, and involvement of Pall Mall Gazette.
| Author: | Samuel Butler |
| Addressee: | Athenæum |
| Date: | [before 31 Jan 1880] |
| Classmark: | Athenæum, 31 January 1880, p. 155 |
| Letter no: | DCP-LETT-12442F |
From Samuel Butler 2 January 1880
Summary
Asks CD for reference to the edition of Kosmos that contains the original of Ernst Krause’s article on Dr Erasmus Darwin. There are serious differences between the translation by W. S. Dallas and the Feb [1879] article by Krause on which CD, in the preface to Erasmus Darwin, says it was based. SB notes in particular that the concluding sentence of the translation, which is clearly aimed at [SB’s] Evolution, old and new, is not in the original. Since readers will assume the text of Erasmus Darwin was written before his book appeared, SB asks for an explanation.
| Author: | Samuel Butler |
| Addressee: | Charles Robert Darwin |
| Date: | 2 Jan 1880 |
| Classmark: | DAR 92: B65–6 |
| Letter no: | DCP-LETT-12393 |
To Samuel Butler 3 January 1880
Summary
Krause altered the MS [of his essay on Erasmus Darwin] considerably before sending it to be translated. This is a common practice, but CD now regrets he did not state in his preface that the article had been modified. The translation had been arranged before SB’s book [Evolution, old and new] was announced.
| Author: | Charles Robert Darwin |
| Addressee: | Samuel Butler |
| Date: | 3 Jan 1880 |
| Classmark: | The British Library (Add MS 34486 D ff. 84–5) |
| Letter no: | DCP-LETT-12396 |
From Samuel Butler 21 January 1880
Summary
SB has decided to lay the matter [the subject of 12393 and 12396] before the public and has written to the Athenæum stating the facts. [Athenæum 31 Jan 1880.]
| Author: | Samuel Butler |
| Addressee: | Charles Robert Darwin |
| Date: | 21 Jan 1880 |
| Classmark: | DAR 92: B67 |
| Letter no: | DCP-LETT-12438 |
| letter | (4) |
| Butler, Samuel (b) | (3) |
| Darwin, C. R. | (1) |
| Darwin, C. R. | (2) |
| Athenæum | (1) |
| Butler, Samuel (b) | (1) |
| Butler, Samuel (b) | (4) |
| Darwin, C. R. | (3) |
| Athenæum | (1) |
