From: Wilhelm HI Bleek (12 May 1867)

From: Wilhelm HI Bleek (12 May 1867)

Correspondence

A letter in German from Wilhelm Bleek to his cousin Ernst Haeckel, sent from the Grey Library on 12 May 1867. Bleek asks Haeckel's help finding a German publisher for his essay "On the Origin of the Language", intended for publication in both English and German. He is sending Haeckel two copies of the manuscript: one via Jemima Bleek in England and one from the Cape. Bleek outlines his orthographic requirements for printing, asks to quote Haeckel's "kind words" and welcomes any advice. He mentions Haeckel's trip to Madeira and apologises for not sending marine specimens. Bleek sends greetings to August Schleicher, enclosing a chapter of his "Comparative Grammar", and notes that Schleicher and other "orthodox philologists" may view his ideas as "heresies". He asks that his essay remain confidential until published.

12 May 1867

Wilhelm Bleek (letter to Ernst Haeckel 12 May 1867), Ernst Haeckel (letter to from Wilhelm Bleek 12 May 1867), Jemima Bleek (in Wilhelm Bleek's letter to Ernst Haeckel 12 May 1867), letter (transcript of Wilhelm Bleek's to Ernst Haeckel 12 May 1867), cousin (Wilhelm Bleek's Ernst Haeckel), essay (Wilhelm Bleek's "On the Origin of the Language"), manuscript (of Wilhelm Bleek's essay "On the Origin of the Language"), publication (of Wilhelm Bleek's essay "On the Origin of the Language"), publisher (Wilhelm Bleek asks Ernst Haeckel for help finding a German), On the Origin of the Language (essay and manuscript of), A Comparative Grammar of the South African languages (in Wilhelm Bleek's letter to Ernst Haeckel 12 May 1867), August Schleicher (Wilhelm Bleek sends greetings to)

1. The copied letter includes a transcription and an English translation.