canterbury pieces-第1部分

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Canterbury　Pieces


by　Samuel　Butler







Contents：

Darwin　on　the　Origin　of　Species
　　　A　Dialogue
　　　Barrel…Organs
　　　Letter：　　21　Feb　1863
　　　Letter：　　14　Mar　1863
　　　Letter：　　18　Mar　1863
　　　Letter：　　11　Apr　1863
　　　Letter：　　22　June　1863
Darwin　Among　the　Machines
Lucubratio　Ebria
A　note　on　〃The　Tempest〃
The　English　Cricketers






DARWIN　ON　THE　ORIGIN　OF　SPECIES



Prefatory　Note

As　the　following　dialogue　embodies　the　earliest　fruits　of　Butler's
study　of　the　works　of　Charles　Darwin；　with　whose　name　his　own　was
destined　in　later　years　to　be　so　closely　connected；　and　thus
possesses　an　interest　apart　from　its　intrinsic　merit；　a　few　words　as
to　the　circumstances　in　which　it　was　published　will　not　be　out　of
place。

Butler　arrived　in　New　Zealand　in　October；　1859；　and　about　the　same
time　Charles　Darwin's　ORIGIN　OF　SPECIES　was　published。　　Shortly
afterwards　the　book　came　into　Butler's　hands。　　He　seems　to　have　read
it　carefully；　and　meditated　upon　it。　　The　result　of　his　meditations
took　the　shape　of　the　following　dialogue；　which　was　published　on　20
December；　1862；　in　the　PRESS　which　had　been　started　in　the　town　of
Christ　Church　in　May；　1861。　　The　dialogue　did　not　by　any　means　pass
unnoticed。　　On　the　17th　of　January；　1863；　a　leading　article　（of
course　unsigned）　appeared　in　the　PRESS；　under　the　title　〃Barrel…
Organs；〃　discussing　Darwin's　theories；　and　incidentally　referring　to
Butler's　dialogue。　　A　reply　to　this　article；　signed　A　。M。；　appeared
on　the　21st　of　February；　and　the　correspondence　was　continued　until
the　22nd　of　June；　1863。　　The　dialogue　itself；　which　was　unearthed
from　the　early　files　of　the　PRESS；　mainly　owing　to　the　exertions　of
Mr。　Henry　Festing　Jones；　was　reprinted；　together　with　the
correspondence　that　followed　its　publication；　in　the　PRESS　of　June　8
and　15；　1912。　　Soon　after　the　original　appearance　of　Butler's
dialogue　a　copy　of　it　fell　into　the　hands　of　Charles　Darwin；　possibly
sent　to　him　by　a　friend　in　New　Zealand。　　Darwin　was　sufficiently
struck　by　it　to　forward　it　to　the　editor　of　some　magazine；　which　has
not　been　identified；　with　the　following　letter：…


Down；　Bromley；　Kent；　S。E。
March　24　＇1863＇。

（Private）。

Mr。　Darwin　takes　the　liberty　to　send　by　this　post　to　the　Editor　a　New
Zealand　newspaper　for　the　very　improbable　chance　of　the　Editor　having
some　spare　space　to　reprint　a　Dialogue　on　Species。　　This　Dialogue；
written　by　some　＇sic＇　quite　unknown　to　Mr。　Darwin；　is　remarkable　from
its　spirit　and　from　giving　so　clear　and　accurate　a　view　of　Mr。　D。
＇sic＇　theory。　　It　is　also　remarkable　from　being　published　in　a　colony
exactly　12　years　old；　in　which　it　might　have　＇sic＇　thought　only
material　interests　would　have　been　regarded。


The　autograph　of　this　letter　was　purchased　from　Mr。　Tregaskis　by　Mr。
Festing　Jones；　and　subsequently　presented　by　him　to　the　Museum　at
Christ　Church。　　The　letter　cannot　be　dated　with　certainty；　but　since
Butler's　dialogue　was　published　in　December；　1862；　and　it　is　at　least
probable　that　the　copy　of　the　PRESS　which　contained　it　was　sent　to
Darwin　shortly　after　it　appeared；　we　may　conclude　with　tolerable
certainty　that　the　letter　was　written　in　March；　1863。　　Further　light
is　thrown　on　the　controversy　by　a　correspondence　which　took　place
between　Butler　and　Darwin　in　1865；　shortly　after　Butler's　return　to
England。　　During　that　year　Butler　had　published　a　pamphlet　entitled
THE　EVIDENCE　FOR　THE　RESURRECTION　OF　JESUS　CHRIST　AS　GIVEN　BY　THE
FOUR　EVANGELISTS　CRITICALLY　EXAMINED；　of　which　he　afterwards
incorporated　the　substance　into　THE　FAIR　HAVEN。　　Butler　sent　a　copy
of　this　pamphlet　to　Darwin；　and　in　due　course　received　the　following
reply：…


Down；　Bromley；　Kent。
September　30　＇1865＇。

My　dear　Sir；I　am　much　obliged　to　you　for　so　kindly　sending　me　your
Evidences；　etc。　　We　have　read　it　with　much　interest。　　It　seems　to　me
written　with　much　force；　vigour；　and　clearness；　and　the　main　argument
to　me　is　quite　new。　　I　particularly　agree　with　all　you　say　in　your
preface。

I　do　not　know　whether　you　intend　to　return　to　New　Zealand；　and；　if
you　are　inclined　to　write；　I　should　much　like　to　know　what　your
future　plans　are。

My　health　has　been　so　bad　during　the　last　five　months　that　I　have
been　confined　to　my　bedroom。　　Had　it　been　otherwise　I　would　have
asked　you　if　you　could　have　spared　the　time　to　have　paid　us　a　visit；
but　this　at　present　is　impossible；　and　I　fear　will　be　so　for　some
time。

With　my　best　thanks　for　your　present；

I　remain；
My　dear　Sir；
Yours　very　faithfully；
Charles　Darwin。


To　this　letter　Butler　replied　as　follows：…


15　Clifford's　Inn；　E。C。
October　1st；　1865。

Dear　Sir；I　knew　you　were　ill　and　I　never　meant　to　give　you　the
fatigue　of　writing　to　me。　　Please　do　not　trouble　yourself　to　do　so
again。　　As　you　kindly　ask　my　plans　I　may　say　that；　though　I　very
probably　may　return　to　New　Zealand　in　three　or　four　years；　I　have　no
intention　of　doing　so　before　that　time。　　My　study　is　art；　and
anything　else　I　may　indulge　in　is　only　by…play；　it　may　cause　you　some
little　wonder　that　at　my　age　I　should　have　started　as　an　art　student；
and　I　may　perhaps　be　permitted　to　explain　that　this　was　always　my
wish　for　years；　that　I　had　begun　six　years　ago；　as　soon　as　ever　I
found　that　I　could　not　conscientiously　take　orders；　my　father　so
strongly　disapproved　of　the　idea　that　I　gave　it　up　and　went　out　to
New　Zealand；　stayed　there　for　five　years；　worked　like　a　common
servant；　though　on　a　run　of　my　own；　and　sold　out　little　more　than　a
year　ago；　thinking　that　prices　were　going　to　fallwhich　they　have
since　done。　　Being　then　rather　at　a　loss　what　to　do　and　my　capital
being　all　locked　up；　I　took　the　opportunity　to　return　to　my　old　plan；
and　have　been　studying　for　the　last　ten　years　unremittingly。　　I　hope
that　in　three　or　four　years　more　I　shall　be　able　to　go　on　very　well
by　myself；　and　then　I　may　go　back　to　New　Zealand　or　no　as
circumstances　shall　seem　to　render　advisable。　　I　must　apologise　for
so　much　detail；　but　hardly　knew　how　to　explain　myself　without　it。

I　always　delighted　in　your　ORIGIN　OF　SPECIES　as　soon　as　I　saw　it　out
in　New　Zealandnot　as　knowing　anything　whatsoever　of　natural
history；　but　it　enters　into　so　many　deeply　interesting　questions；　or
rather　it　suggests　so　many；　that　it　thoroughly　fascinated　me。　　I
therefore　feel　all　the　greater　pleasure　that　my　pamphlet　should
please　you；　however　full　of　errors。

The　first　dialogue　on　the　ORIGIN　which　I　wrote　in　the　PRESS　called
forth　a　contemptuous　rejoinder　from　（I　believe）　the　Bishop　of
Wellington（please　do　not　mention　the　name；　though　I　think　that　at
this　distance　of　space　and　time　I　might　mention　it　to　yourself）　I
answered　it　with　the　enclosed；　which　may　amuse　you。　　I　assumed
another　character　because　my　dialogue　was　in　my　hearing　very　severely
criticised　by　two　or　three　whose　opinion　I　thought　worth　having；　and
I　deferred　to　their　judgment　in　my　next。　　I　do　not　think　I　should　do
so　now。　　I　fear　you　will　be　shocked　at　an　appeal　to　the　periodicals
mentioned　in　my　letter；　but　they　form　a　very　staple　article　of　bush
diet；　and　we　used　to　get　a　good　deal　of　superficial　knowledge　out　of
them。　　I　feared　to　go　in　too　heavy　on　the　side　of　the　ORIGIN；　because
I　thought　that；　having　said　my　say　as　well　as　I　could；　I　had　better
now　take　a　less　impassioned　tone；　but　I　was　really　exceedingly　angry。

Please　do　not　trouble　yourself　to　answer　this；　and　believe　me；

Yours　most　sincerely；
S。　Butler。


This　elicited　a　second　letter　from　Darwin：…


Down；　Bromley；　Kent。
October　6。

My　dear　Sir；I　thank　you　sincerely　for　your　kind　and　frank　letter；
which　has　interested　me　greatly。　　What　a　singular　and　varied　career
you　have　already　run。　　Did　you　keep　any　journal　or　notes　in　New
Zealand？　　For　it　strikes　me　that　with　your　rare　powers　of　writing　you
might　make　a　very　interesting　work　descriptive　of　a　colonist's　life
in　New　Zealand。

I　return　your　printed　letter；　which　you　might　like　to　keep。　　It　has
amused　me；　especially　the　part　in　which　you　criticise　yourself。　　To
appreciate　the　letter　fully　I　ought　to　have　read　the　bishop's　letter；
which　seems　to　have　been　very　rich。

You　tell　me　not　to　answer　your　note；　but　I　could　not　resist　the　wish
to　thank　you　for　your　letter。

With　every　good　wish；　believe　me；　my　dear　Sir；

Yours　sincerely；
Ch。　Darwin。


It　is　curious　that　in　this　correspondence　Darwin　makes　no　reference
to　the　fact　that　he　had　already　had　in　his　possession　a　copy　of
Butler's　dialogue　and　had　endeavoured　to　induce　the　editor　of　an
English　periodical　to　reprint　it。　　It　is　possible　that　we　have　not
here　the　whole　of　the　correspondence　which　passed　between　Darwin　and
Butler　at　this　period；　and　this　theory　is　supported　by　the　fact　that
Butler　seems　to　take　for　granted　that　Darwin　knew　all　about　the
appearance　of　the　original　dialogue　on　the　ORIGIN　OF　SPECIES　in　the
PRESS。

Enough；　however；　has　been　given　to　explain　the　correspondence　which
the　publication　of　the　dialogue　occasioned。　　I　do　not　know　what
authority　Butler　had　for　supposing　that　Charles　John　Abraham；　Bishop
of　Wellington；　was　the　author　of　the　article　entitled　〃Barrel…
Organs；〃　and　the　〃Savoyard〃　of　the　subsequent　controversy。　　However；
at　that　time　Butler　was　deep　in　the　counsels　of　the　PRESS；　and　he　may
have　received　private　information　on　the　subject。　　Butler's　own
reappearance　over　the　initials　A。　M。　is　sufficiently　explained　in　his
letter　to　Darwin。

It　is　worth　observing　that　Butler　appears　in　the　dialogue　and　ensuing
correspondence　in　a　character　very　different　from　that　which　he　was
later　to　assume。　　Here　we　have　him　as　an　ardent　supporter　of　Charles
Darwin；　and　adopting　a　contemptuous　tone　with　regard　to　the　claims　of
Erasmus　Darwin　to　have　sown　the　seed　which　was　afterwards　raised　to
maturity　by　his　grandson。　　It　would　be　interesting　to　know　if　it　was
this　correspondence　that　first　turned　Butler's　attention　seriously　to
the　works　of　the　older　evolutionists　and　ultimately　led　to　the
production　of　EVOLUTION；　OLD　AND　NEW；　in　which　the　indebtedness　of
Charles　Darwin　to　Erasmus　Darwin；　Buffon　and　Lamarck　is　demonstrated
with　such　compelling　force。



DARWIN　ON　THE　ORIGIN　OF　SPECIES：　　A　Dialogu