The importance of the Mutual Aid factor – if its generality could only be demonstrated – did not escape the naturalists genius so manifest in Goethe. When Eckermann told once to Goethe – it was in 1827 – that two little wren-fledglings, which had run away from him, were found by him next day in the nest of robin redbreasts (Rothkehlchen), which fed the little ones, together with their own youngsters, Goethe grew quite excited about this fact. He saw in it a confirmation of his pantheistic views, and said: – If it be true that this feeding of a stranger goes through all Nature as something having the character of a general law – then many an enigma would be solved. He returned to this matter on the next day, and most earnestly entreated Eckermann (who was, as is known, a zoologist) to make a special study of the subject, adding that he would surely come to quite invaluable treasuries of results (Gespräche, edition of 1848, vol. iii. pp. 219, 221). Unfortunately, this study was never made, although it is very possible that Brehm, who has accumulated in his works such rich materials relative to mutual aid among animals, might have been inspired by Goethes remark.
Posted on: Sun, 04 Jan 2015 01:53:13 +0000
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