Ɛpsilon

To William Ogle   22 February 1882

Down, | Beckenham, Kent. | (Railway Station | Orpington. S.E.R.)

Feb. 22d 1882

My dear Dr. Ogle

You must let me thank you for the pleasure which the Introduction to the Aristotle book has given me.1 I have rarely read anything which has interested me more; though I have not read as yet more than a quarter of the book proper. From quotations which I had seen I had a high notion of Aristotle’s merits, but I had not the most remote notion what a wonderful man he was. Linnæus & Cuvier have been my two Gods, though in very different way, but they were mere school-boys to old Aristotle.—2

How very curious, also, his ignorance on some points as on muscles as the means of movement.—3 I am glad that you have explained in so probable a manner some of the grossest mistakes attributed to him.— I never realised before reading your book to what an enormous summation of labour we owe even our common knowledge. I wish old Aristotle could know what a grand Defender of the Faith he had found in you.

Believe me my dear Dr Ogle | yours very sincerely | Ch. Darwin

1
Ogle sent CD a copy of his translation Aristotle on the parts of animals (Ogle trans. 1882; see letter from William Ogle, 17 January 1882). In addition to the translation, Ogle had written an introduction, a section on the main groups of animals recognised by Aristotle, and a synopsis of the text (ibid., pp. i–xxxv).
2
Carl von Linné (Carolus Linnaeus) and Georges Cuvier.
3
See Ogle trans. 1882, p. 154.

Manuscript Alterations and Comments

0.1 (Railway … S.E.R.)] parentheses added
1.3 more] over illeg

Please cite as “DCP-LETT-13697,” in Ɛpsilon: The Charles Darwin Collection accessed on 5 June 2025, https://epsilon.ac.uk/view/dcp-data/letters/DCP-LETT-13697