My dear M^r. Darwin

You will I trust with your well known kindness pardon me for not answering earlier; but I had so much to do with lectures and all sorts of University-business, with House building and the death of my father and uncle, that I felt utterly unable to write private letters before now.¹ Having got more leisure I hasten to ask your pardon for my impoliteness and to thank you for the extreme kindness of your judgment on my book. It is the more gratifying for me to hear from you that you do not consider me an antagonist, as Prof. Ray Lankester and other Reviewers of my book treated me not only as such but almost as an idiot.²

At first I felt inclined to ask your permission of publishing your letter in answer to Ray Lankester’s article in the “Nature” and to treat his personalities as they deserve. But after mature consideration I determined not to answer him, being confident that all judicious people in England will know M^r. Lankester as well as I do and disregard his injurious article like myself. The letter you had the kindness of writing quite spontaneously to me, gives me the courage for keeping silence in this case and in any other of the same character.

These last two years I have not been able of doing much scientific work. I have been building a house, which took much time; but the most of my time was spent in University-work and especially with my pupils, the number of which is rather too large for my physical and mental strength.³ I am rather tired out and yet I do not see the possibility before me of getting rid of that tedious teaching work, which demands most of the time of a German Professor. But it can’t be otherwise and therefore “paciencia” as the Spaniards say.⁴

Hoping that you are quite well and giving my compliments to M^rs. Darwin and to your son,⁵ | I remain yours devotedly | C. Semper