From Ernst Krause1   2 October 1879

Berlin N.O. Friedenstrasse 10. II.

den 2.10.79

Hochverehrter Herr!

Gestern von meiner Reise zurückgekehrt, habe ich eiligst die Durchsicht der Druckbogen vorgenommen und dieselben an Mr. Dallas zurückgesendet.2 Ich hoffe, dass die Verzögerung, welche durch meine Abwesenheit hervorgebracht worden ist, keine erhebliche Störung verursacht haben wird, da Sie mir früher schrieben, der Verleger beabsichtige das Buch erst zum ersten November herauszugeben?3 Zu verändern habe ich fast nichts gehabt, und auch die Stelle, wo ich (p. 171) irrthümlich the parent, weil im Singular gebraucht, mit Vater übersetzt habe, liess ich stehen, weil eine Veränderung bedeutende Satzveränderungen nöthig gemacht u. den Zusammenhang gestört hätte; die Anmerkung klärt das Missverständniss auf.4

Für Ihr liebes Schreiben vom 15 September, welches ich in Oberwesel vorfand, danke ich Ihnen herzlichst; die Bogen sind alle richtig angekommen und bereits übersetzt, so dass der Druck alsbald beginnen kann. M. Reinwald hat sich mit Herrn Alberts in Verbindung gesetzt, will also die Herausgabe jedenfalls machen.5

Mit innigsten Wünschen für Ihr Befinden zeichne ich, hochverehrter Herr | Ihr | dankbar ergebenster | Ernst Krause

CD annotations

Top of letter: ‘(I have opened my note to put this in, which shows that you will now very soon be able to return proofs for press.)’6 ink, square brackets in ms
1
For a translation of this letter, see Appendix I.
2
CD had asked Krause to read the proof-sheets of William Sweetland Dallas’s translation of Krause’s essay on Erasmus Darwin (Erasmus Darwin); see letters to Ernst Krause, 3 September [1879] and 15 September 1879.
3
See letter to Ernst Krause, 16 June [1879]; the publisher was John Murray (1808–92). Krause spent much of September in south Germany (letter from Ernst Krause, 1 September 1879).
4
See Krause 1879a, p. 411, and Erasmus Darwin, p. 171 (Erasmus Darwin referred to ‘the embryon, or new animal which partakes so much of the form and propensities of the parent’; E. Darwin 1794–6, 1: 480). In Krause 1880, p. 153, Krause translated ‘parent’ as Vorfahren.
5
Letter to Ernst Krause, 15 September 1879. Krause had CD’s preliminary notice to his essay on Erasmus Darwin translated into German for publication with an augmented version of his essay (Krause 1880). Karl Alberts was Krause’s publisher. Charles-Ferdinand Reinwald published French translations of CD’s works, but no French translation of Erasmus Darwin has been found.
6
CD forwarded Krause’s letter to Dallas (see letter from W. S. Dallas, 5 October 1879). CD’s note to Dallas has not been found.

From Ernst Krause1   2 October 1879

Berlin N.O. Friedenstrasse 10. II.

2.10.79

Most esteemed Sir!

Yesterday, having returned from my travels, I went through the proof-sheets at great speed and returned them to Mr Dallas.2 I hope that the delay that was caused by my absence has not brought about considerable interruption, considering you wrote to me earlier that the publisher is not planning to bring out the book until 1 November?3 I had hardly any changes to make, and even the passage where (p. 171) I erroneously translated the parent, because the singular was used, as father, I left because changing it would have necessitated considerable rephrasing & would have broken the continuity; the note rectifies this misunderstanding.4

For your kind letter of 15 September, which I found in Oberwesel, I thank you most kindly; the proof-sheets have all arrived safely and have already been translated, and so printing can begin presently. M. Reinwald has been in contact with Mr Alberts, that is, he wants to publish the edition in any event.5

With the most heartfelt wishes regarding your health I remain, most esteemed Sir | Yours | gratefully devoted | Ernst Krause

1
For a transcription of this letter in its original German, see Transcript.
2
CD had asked Krause to read the proof-sheets of William Sweetland Dallas’s translation of Krause’s essay on Erasmus Darwin (Erasmus Darwin); see letters to Ernst Krause, 3 September [1879] and 15 September 1879.
3
See letter to Ernst Krause, 16 June [1879]; the publisher was John Murray (1808–92). Krause spent much of September in south Germany (letter from Ernst Krause, 1 September 1879).
4
See Krause 1879a, p. 411, and Erasmus Darwin, p. 171 (Erasmus Darwin referred to ‘the embryon, or new animal which partakes so much of the form and propensities of the parent’; E. Darwin 1794–6, 1: 480). In Krause 1880, p. 153, Krause translated ‘parent’ as Vorfahren.
5
Letter to Ernst Krause, 15 September 1879. Krause had CD’s preliminary notice to his essay on Erasmus Darwin translated into German for publication with an augmented version of his essay (Krause 1880). Karl Alberts was Krause’s publisher. Charles-Ferdinand Reinwald published French translations of CD’s works, but no French translation of Erasmus Darwin has been found.

Please cite as “DCP-LETT-12243,” in Ɛpsilon: The Charles Darwin Collection accessed on 5 June 2025, https://epsilon.ac.uk/view/dcp-data/letters/DCP-LETT-12243