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From Henry Potonié1   16 April 1878

Berlin.

16. 4. 1878.

Hochgeehrter Herr!

Ganz kurz erlaube ich mir, Ihnen den Zweck meines Schreibens anzugeben, um Ihre werthvolle Zeit nicht nutzlos in Anspruch zu nehmen.

Sie geben in dem: “Historical sketch” Ihres Werkes: “The origin of species etc. sixth edition. London 1873” eine Uebersicht der Forscher, welche bereits vor dem Erscheinen Ihres eben genannten Werkes auf die gemeinsame Abstammung der Arten hingewiesen haben; aber die vortrefflichen Andeutungen in einem Buche des hochgeachteten, im vorigen Jahr verstorbenen, Professor Alexander Braun scheinen Ihnen entgangen zu sein. Wichtige Stellen finden sich besonders am Ende der Schlussbetrachtung (Seite: 325–348) und im Eingang (Seite: 3–23). Das Buch heisst: “Betrachtungen über die Erscheinung der Verjüngung in der Natur etc. Freiburg im Breisgau 1849/50.2 Es erschien dann noch einmal in Leipzig 1851.3

Vielleicht benutzen Sie diese Notiz in einer neuen Auflage Ihres Werkes, nachdem Sie das Buch, des Ihnen bekannten Forschers, geprüft haben.4

Ihre Verzeihung erbitte ich mir, falls ich durch einen Irrthum verleitet, unnütz Ihre kostbare Zeit gebrauchte.

Sie tief bewundernd bin ich | Henry Potonié

Berlin N. W. Dorotheenstr. 42.

1
For a translation of this letter, see Appendix I.
2
CD first published his ‘historical sketch’ (in which he discussed the work of earlier evolutionists) in 1861 in Origin 3d ed., pp. xiii–xix; it had gone through several revisions by the time it appeared in Origin 6th ed., pp. xiii–xxi. Alexander Carl Heinrich Braun’s work on the phenomenon of regeneration in nature (Braun 1849–50) focused on asexual reproduction such as bud variation and graft hybrids; in the concluding section he discussed the reappearance of features (a form of reversion, which he referred to as remembrance) and the connectedness of different forms, and suggested that the same process of regeneration had led through countless intermediate steps to humankind (ibid., pp. 346–8). Potonié evidently read this discussion about the unity of life at a cellular level as an argument for common descent.
3
Braun 1851.
4
CD did not make any changes to Origin after 1876 (Freeman 1977, pp. 80–1).

From Henry Potonié1   16 April 1878

Berlin.

16. 4. 1878.

Highly honoured Sir!

Let me explain very briefly why I am writing to you, in order not to take up your valuable time unnecessarily.

In the: “Historical sketch” of your work: “The origin of species etc. sixth edition. London 1873” you give an overview of those researchers who drew attention to the common descent of species prior to the publication of your above-mentioned work; however, the excellent suggestions in a book by the most respected Professor Alexander Braun, who died last year, seem to have escaped your notice. Important passages are found particularly towards the end of the concluding observations (page: 325–348) and in the introduction (page: 3–23). The book is called: “Betrachtungen über die Erscheinung der Verjüngung in der Natur etc. Freiburg im Breisgau 1849/50.2 It was published again in Leipzig in 1851.3

You may want to use this note in a new edition of your work, once you have examined the book of this scholar with whom you are familiar.4

With my apologies, in case I have wasted your precious time as the result of a misunderstanding.

I remain with profound admiration | Henry Potonié

Berlin N. W. Dorotheenstr. 42.

1
For a transcription of this letter in its original German, see Transcript.
2
CD first published his ‘historical sketch’ (in which he discussed the work of earlier evolutionists) in 1861 in Origin 3d ed., pp. xiii–xix; it had gone through several revisions by the time it appeared in Origin 6th ed., pp. xiii–xxi. Alexander Carl Heinrich Braun’s work on the phenomenon of regeneration in nature (Braun 1849–50) focused on asexual reproduction such as bud variation and graft hybrids; in the concluding section he discussed the reappearance of features (a form of reversion, which he referred to as remembrance) and the connectedness of different forms, and suggested that the same process of regeneration had led through countless intermediate steps to humankind (ibid., pp. 346–8). Potonié evidently read this discussion about the unity of life at a cellular level as an argument for common descent.
3
Braun 1851.
4
CD did not make any changes to Origin after 1876 (Freeman 1977, pp. 80–1).

Please cite as “DCP-LETT-11476,” in Ɛpsilon: The Charles Darwin Collection accessed on 5 June 2025, https://epsilon.ac.uk/view/dcp-data/letters/DCP-LETT-11476