i860.] GERMAN TRANSLATION. 73 



cause its meaning is not obvious, and each man could not put 

 on it his own interpretation, and because it at once connects 

 variation under domestication and nature. Is there any anal- 

 ogous term used by German breeders of animals ? " Adelung," 

 ennobling, would, perhaps, be too metaphorical. It is folly 

 in me, but I cannot help doubting whether " Wahl der Lebens- 

 weise " expresses my notion. It leaves the impression on my 

 mind of the Lamarckian doctrine (which I reject) of habits of 

 life being all-important. Man has altered, and thus improved 

 the English race-horse by selecting successive fleeter individ- 

 uals ; and I believe, owing to the struggle for existence, that 

 similar slight variations in a wild horse, // advantageous to it, 

 would be selected or preserved by nature ; hence Natural Selec- 

 tion. But I apologise for troubling you with these remarks 

 on the importance of choosing good German terms for " Nat- 

 ural Selection." With my heartfelt thanks, and with sincere 

 respect, 



I remain, dear Sir, yours very sincerely, 



CHARLES DARWIN. 



C. Darwin to If. G. Bronn. 



Down, July 14 [i86oj. 



DEAR AND HONOURED SIR, On my return home, after an 

 absence of some time, I found the translation of the third 

 part* of the * Origin,' and I have been delighted to see a final 

 chapter of criticisms by yourself. I have read the first few 

 paragraphs and final paragraph, and am perfectly contented, 

 indeed more than contented, with the generous and candid 

 spirit with which you have considered my views. You speak 

 with too much praise of my work. I shall, of course, care- 

 fully read the whole chapter; but though I can read descrip- 

 tive books like Gaertner's pretty easily, when any reasoning 

 comes in, I find German excessively difficult to understand. 

 At some future time I should very much like to hear how my 



* The German translation was published in three pamphlet-like 

 numbers. 



42 



