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From Robert Tachau1   9 May 1879

Sr. Wohlgeboren | Herrn Herrn Charles Darwin | in | London

Euer Wohlgeboren werden wohl entschuldigen, wenn ich es wage durch meine einfältigen Zeilen einem so hochberühmten Manne die kostbare Zeit zu rauben, doch ich muß meinem innern Drange nachgeben, der mich bestimmt Euer Wohlgeboren mit einer Frage zu belästigen.— Ich muß um nicht Unwillen zu erregen folgendes vorausschicken: Als Schüler der Oberrealschule und eifriger Student der Naturwissenschaften, hatte ich in Prag jede Gelegenheit, die sich mir darbot, benützt mein Wissen auf diesem Felde zu bereichern.2 Herr Dr Corda als auch Herr Dr. Brehm, deren Vorträge ich besuchte, thaten durch das Interessante ihres Stoffes Bedeutendes um meinen Eifer für das Naturhistorische noch mehrzusteigern; nicht minder war ich angeregt durch einen Vortrag des H Dr Smita, vortragenden Professors, an unserer Anstalt, der letztgenannte Herr that bei seinem Vorlesungen öfter Erwähnung des “großen englischen Gelehrten”—und dies war der Beweggrund zu meinem Schreiben—3

Nach Vorhergehendem wage ich nun meine Frage zu stellen, indem ich glaube meine Dreistigkeit entschuldigt zu haben.—

Ich ersuche nochmals mir gütigst Aufklärung zu geben ob alle Modificationen des Baues des menschlichen Körpers und auch der Geisteskräfte allein der natürlichen Zuchtswahl zuzuschreiben seien, oder ob nicht darin veränderten äusseren Bedingungen Rechnung getragen werden müße?4

In der Beziehung bitte ich inständigst um Aufklärung, da mir diese aus keinem Werke zu Theil werden kann.

Euer Wohlgeboren werden gewiss nicht aufgebracht sein über einen eifrigen Liebhaber der Naturgeschichte, wenn er in seinem Wahne das Dreisteste wagt und sich an einen so berühmten Mann wendet und um Aufklärung bittet; ich habe bisher mein ganzes Taschengeld verwendet zum Ankaufe naturhistorischer Werke aber keines gab mir Aufschluss.

Um gutige Antwort bittet | mit aller Hochachtung | Robert Tachau | Schüler der V Kl. | an der Id. Staatsoberrealschule Prag | unter dieser Adresse bitte um Antwort!

Prag, den 9 Mai 1879

1
For a translation of this letter, see Appendix I.
2
At this time, an Oberrealschule was a type of secondary school that focused on science and modern languages, as opposed to a Gymnasium, where classics formed the core of the curriculum. The school Tachau attended was the Erste deutsche Staats-Oberrealschule in Prag (First German State Oberrealschule in Prague; Sechzehntes Programm der ersten deutschen Staats-Oberrealschule Prag, p. 77).
3
August Joseph Corda had been the curator of the National Museum in Prague and wrote or contributed to several works on botany. Alfred Edmund Brehm was a German zoologist and traveller; the lecture series given by Brehm in Prague was made some time in the winter of 1877 (Carinthia I 74 (1884): 166; Popular Science Monthly 27 (1885): 267). Johann Smita was a professor at the school Tachau attended and also the curator of the school’s natural-history cabinet.
4
CD had discussed the direct action of the environment in Variation 2: 272–92, but concluded that it was doubtful whether well-marked races had often been produced ‘by the direct action of changed conditions without the aid of selection either by man or nature’ (ibid., p. 292). In Origin 6th ed., pp. 106–7, CD allowed that direct action might lead to modification but argued, ‘we may safely conclude that the innumerable complex co-adaptations of structure, which we see throughout nature between various organic beings, cannot be attributed simply to such action.’

From Robert Tachau1   9 May 1879

Yr. Honour | Mr Charles Darwin | in | London

Your Honour will probably forgive me for daring to steal the precious time of so illustrious a man with my simple lines, but I must give in to my inner wish, which impels me to trouble Your Honour with a question.— So as not to incur your displeasure I must preface it with the following: as an Oberrealschule pupil and keen student of the natural sciences I took every opportunity I was offered in Prague to enrich my knowledge in this field.2 Dr Corda as well as Dr. Brehm, whose lectures I attended, through my interest in the significance of the material, increased my zest for natural history still further; I was stimulated no less by a lecture of Dr Smita, a lecturing professor at our institution, who made frequent mention of the “great English scholar” in his lectures—and this was the reason for my writing—3

This said, I venture to ask my question, as I have made my excuses for my impudence.—

Once again, I kindly request that you clarify for me whether all modifications of the structure of the human body and also of the intellectual powers must be ascribed solely to natural selection, or whether altered external conditions must not also be taken into account in this?4

I implore you to enlighten me about this, for I cannot find this in any published work.

Surely Your Honour will not be angry with an eager enthusiast for natural history, when he dares in his mania the boldest thing and turns to such an illustrious man asking for clarification; I have so far used all my pocket money to buy works of natural history but none of them gave me an explanation.

Asking for a kind reply | with all respect | Robert Tachau | pupil in class V | at the First German State Oberrealschule Prague | please reply to this address!

Prague, 9 May 1879

1
For a transcription of this letter in its original German, see Transcript.
2
At this time, an Oberrealschule was a type of secondary school that focused on science and modern languages, as opposed to a Gymnasium, where classics formed the core of the curriculum. The school Tachau attended was the Erste deutsche Staats-Oberrealschule in Prag (First German State Oberrealschule in Prague; Sechzehntes Programm der ersten deutschen Staats-Oberrealschule Prag, p. 77).
3
August Joseph Corda had been the curator of the National Museum in Prague and wrote or contributed to several works on botany. Alfred Edmund Brehm was a German zoologist and traveller; the lecture series given by Brehm in Prague was made some time in the winter of 1877 (Carinthia I 74 (1884): 166; Popular Science Monthly 27 (1885): 267). Johann Smita was a professor at the school Tachau attended and also the curator of the school’s natural-history cabinet.
4
CD had discussed the direct action of the environment in Variation 2: 272–92, but concluded that it was doubtful whether well-marked races had often been produced ‘by the direct action of changed conditions without the aid of selection either by man or nature’ (ibid., p. 292). In Origin 6th ed., pp. 106–7, CD allowed that direct action might lead to modification but argued, ‘we may safely conclude that the innumerable complex co-adaptations of structure, which we see throughout nature between various organic beings, cannot be attributed simply to such action.’

Please cite as “DCP-LETT-12044,” in Ɛpsilon: The Charles Darwin Collection accessed on 5 June 2025, https://epsilon.ac.uk/view/dcp-data/letters/DCP-LETT-12044