64 Avenue Road
Regents Park
London N. W.
Nov. 2, 1895
My dear Sir,
I send you a copy of „The Nineteenth Century” containing an article by me entitled „Lord Salisbury on Evolution”, with a view of asking your advice as to a German translation. I fear that as it cannot now appear in Germany at the same time as in England, a German scientific periodical || would not like to reproduce it, and that therefore it can be issued only as a pamphlet. I think, however, that issue of a translation in some form is desirable. The false impression produced by the applause given to Lord Salisbury’s address on its presentation to the French Academy ought to be as far as possible dissipated, and I have been prompted to write this essay with that end in view. Beyond this special reason, however, there is the more || general reason that something like a brief statement of the reasons for upholding alike the doctrine of organic evolution and the doctrine of general evolution is needed, and it seems to me that circulation of the article in the shape of a brochure might fulfil that end. It is not of course at all to be expected that the brochure would pay the publishers in any direct way, but it might pay them indirectly by advertizing the books of mine || which they have published. Should there be any reluctance, however, I should be quite ready to hold them harmless in the matter of expenses.
Perhaps, if you do not see any other way of publication, you would forward this copy of The Nineteenth Century to my publisher Mr Edward Koch, Stuttgart, with some expression of your opinion as to the course to be pursued.
Should a translation || be decided upon, I should wish to put a preface explaining the circumstances, and also to make an addition of importance.
Truly yours
Herbert Spencer
Prof. Ernst Haeckel
