Darwin, C. R. to Haeckel, E. P. A.
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Has received EH's Die Radiolarien. Drawings admirably executed. Had no idea such low animals could develop such beautiful structures.
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Transcription
Down. | Bromley. | Kent. S.E.
Mar 3.
My dear Sir
I received a week since your most kind present of your work on Radiolariæ. It is one of the most magnificent works which I have ever seen, & I am proud to possess a copy from the author.
It is very interesting & instructive to study your admirably executed drawings; for I had no idea that animals of such low organization could develope such extremely beautiful structures.—
I hope you are able to work hard on science & thus banish, as far as may be possible, painful remembrances.
With cordial thanks for your magnificent present, & with sincere respect | Believe me my dear Sir | yours very faithfully | Charles Darwin
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- f1 4419.f1
The year is established by the relationship between this letter and the letter from Ernst Haeckel, 2 January 1864. - +
- f2 4419.f2
Haeckel had earlier offered to send CD a copy of his monograph Die Radiolarien (Haeckel 1862), in which he first publicly endorsed CD's theory (see Correspondence vol. 11, letter to Ernst Haeckel, 30 December [1863] -- 3 January [1864], and this volume, letter from Ernst Haeckel, 2 January 1864 and n. 3). CD's copy of Haeckel 1862 is in the Darwin Library--Down (see Marginalia 1: 360). - +
- f3 4419.f3
See letter from Ernst Haeckel, 2 January 1864 and n. 5. - +
- f4 4419.f4
Haeckel's wife, Anna Sethe, died on 16 February 1864 (see Uschmann 1984, p. 83, and letter from Ernst Haeckel, 10 August 1864). It is not known how CD learned of her death.