Dear Sir

I have had much correspondence with M. Kovalevsky, & he has visited me here. I have formed a very high opinion of him, as his knowledge is extraordinarily great. He is brother of a distinguished naturalist—¹ He is preparing a translation of a book which I shall soon publish & has translated & published some very expensive German works into Russian.² He has made me very liberal offers for the translation of my book.³ I should certainly on my own part trust M. Kovalevsky to almost any extent, but you will see that it is obviously impossible for me to answer for his pecuniary circumstances. As far as I can judge his circumstances appear to be good.

Dear Sir | yours faithfully | Charles Darwin