Notes on Charles Darwin’s thoughts on translation and the publishing history of the European versions of [On] The Origin of Species

The history of the European translations of Charles Darwin’s [On] The Origin of Species is discussed to demonstrate how ideological manipulation, censorship, and publishing strategies affected the reception of one of the most influential texts in the history of science. Darwin’s involvement in the translation process is herein traced in his autobiographical writings and in the letters he exchanged with his continental translators and publishers. Aware of the decisive influence of translation on the correct understanding of his work abroad, and, in spite of his wishes to control the dissemination of his theories, Darwin had to cope with instances of overt ideological manipulation in some of the first versions he authorized, which forced him to seek out other translators to undertake new non-biased translations. The worldwide publishing success of the book came after his death, although manipulated, fragmented, or illegal editions in English and other languages also seem to have proliferated thereafter, in an increasingly complex book market not either exempt from the havocs wreaked by censorship or spurious commercial interests. The resulting overall picture sheds some light on central issues pertaining to the reception of classical texts in science barely examined in the field of Translation Studies to date.