Darwin Correspondence Project

Eashing Park

24 Sept/68

My dear Mr Darwin

The printers of the Annals of Natural History have sent me proofs at once; and I am not a little astonished at seeing my own name in print to a paper on such a subject—which after all is a good deal more interesting than ``Tonnage'' &c  Many thanks to you for all your kindness.

It is wonderful how every flower one looks at is explained by & throws light on the fertilizing process. The anthers & hollow stigma & spur of Viola: the tails of anthers in Erica: the difference of times of maturity of stamens & pistil in Mallow Achimenes &c &c—and above all the wonderful Co relation of variety of similar structure in flowers nearly related—e.g. in Kidney Bean: Broad Bean: Pea: & Furze—afford endless entertainment and illustration of what is I hope something more than Entertainment. It is pleasant to see what interest this has given to my little girl with whom I sometimes pick flowers to pieces— She says with truth that botany—however interesting is too much dead work— This is living.

I cannot help sending you from memory what I dare say you know well—a great favorite of mine among Goethes scattered bits of wisdom—which I think would make a capital motto for your book.

Pray dont answer this— It is only thanks

Sincerely yours | T H Farrer Immer so vor vielen Jahren
Eifrig war der Geist bestrebt
Zu erforschen, zu erfahren
Wie Natur im Schaffen lebt:
Und es ist das Einzig Eine,
Das sich vielfach offenbart;
Klein das Grosse, gross das Kleine,
Alles nach der eignen Art:
Immer wechselnd, fest sich haltend;
Nah und fern, und fern und nah
Sich gestaltend, umgestaltend—
Zum erstaunen bin ich da!