Joseph McCabe an Ernst Haeckel, London, 26. Oktober 1904
16, Elm Grove,
Cricklewood, London N.W.
Oct. 26/04
Dear Professor Haeckel,
I am much obliged for your letter. I have not as yet noticed much repetition in the Lebenswunder, but will look out for it. I have translated more than half of it, & certainly have not left out anything in the last four or five chapters. I think I condensed some of the quotations from Luther (chap. III) – a it not being as interesting here as in Germany. Otherwise I have || translated all, I believe, except that, of course, I have altered the construction of phrases in the literary sense at times. The success of the Riddle as a translation (Sir Oliver Lodge has just been paying it high compliments as such) largely depended on this. I am sure you will see the need of it. I will for the rest of the book keep note of any passages I may think it better to omit in England & consult you. So far I have not left out half a page- though I have got to page 340.
I am glad you are sending me a copy of the || German edition as there are misprints in these rough proofs which I want to see in the finished book. The b exemplar has not yet arrived from Germany.
I will send to you any criticisms of importance that may appear. I am every week fighting critics of your philosophy, but they are usually too small for you to notice. The chief notices of the Riddle were (as I told you at Rome) a long analysis by Professor Pease (a metaphysician!) || in the article on “Metaphysics” in the last edition of the Encyclopaedia Britannica, & an article by Lloyd Morgan a few months ago in the Contemporary Review, & the references throughout W. Mallock’s Religion as a credible doctrine. Lately Sir Oliver Lodge (the physicist!) has been going for you on the subject of mind. I will send you a copy of his lecture when it is published.
With very kind regards
Yours sincerely
Joseph McCabe
a gestr.: Otherw; b gestr.: copy