Very many thanks for your letter, which has told me exactly what I
wanted to know. I shall give up all thoughts of trying to get the book
(197/1. Hackel's "Generelle Morphologie," 1866. See "Life and Letters,"
III., pages 67, 68.) translated, for I am well convinced that it would
be hopeless without too great an outlay. I much regret this, as I should
think the work would be useful, and I am sure it would be to me, as I
shall never be able to wade through more than here and there a page of
the original. To all people I cannot but think that the number of new
terms would be a great evil. I must write to him. I suppose you know
his address, but in case you do not, it is "to care of Signor Nicolaus
Krohn, Madeira." I have sent the MS. of my big book (197/2. "The
Variation of Animals and Plants under Domestication," 1868.), and
horridly, disgustingly big it will be, to the printers, but I do not
suppose it will be published, owing to Murray's idea on seasons, till
next November. I am thinking of a chapter on Man, as there has lately
been so much said on Natural Selection in relation to man. I have not
seen the Duke's (or Dukelet's? how can you speak so of a living real
Duke?) book, but must get it from Mudie, as you say he attacks us.
(197/3. "The Reign of Law" (1867), by the late Duke of Argyll. See "Life
and Letters," III., page 65.)
P.S.--Nature never made species mutually sterile by selection, nor will
men.
LETTER 197. TO E. HACKEL. Down, January 8th [1867].
I received some weeks ago your great work (198/1. "Generelle
Morphologie," 1866.); I have read several parts, but I am too poor a
German scholar and the book is too large for me to read it all. I cannot
tell you how much I regret this, for I am sure that nearly the whole
would interest me greatly, and I have already found several parts very
useful, such as the discussion on cells and on the different forms of
reproduction. I feel sure, after considering the subject deliberately
and after consulting with Huxley, that it would be hopeless to endeavour
to get a publisher to print an English translation; the work is too
profound and too long for our English countrymen. The number of new
terms would also, I am sure, tell much against its sale; and, indeed,
I wish for my own sake that you had printed a glossary of all the
new terms which you use. I fully expect that your book will be highly
successful in Germany, and the manner in which you often refer to me in
your text, and your dedication and the title, I shall always look at as
one of the greatest honours conferred on me during my life. (198/2. As
regards the dedication and title this seems a strong expression. The
title is "Generelle Morphologie der Organismen. Allgemeine Grundzuge
der organischen Formen-Wissenschaft mechanisch begrundet durch die von
Charles Darwin reformirte Descendenz-Theorie." The dedication of the
second volume is "Den Begrundern der Descendenz-Theorie, den denkenden
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