[8a]

Jena 24 April 82

Dear Francis Darwin,

I thank you very much for your kind communication, regarding the last days of your dear father. You know, that I am one of his warmest admirer and of his most thankful disciples.

I was therefore entirely sorry, to hear of your father's death and of the great loss, which science and mankind have to suffer from him.

[2]

Your dear father died on the same day, on which I landed at Triert, returning from Egypt; and I read the notice in the newspapers two days later, in the railway going to Vienna. I returned here to Jena Friday 27. April.

The long life of your father is so extremely rich one the most wonderful work and the greatest scientific success, that the dolour on his death is somewhatmitigated. Through the contemplation, how completely this greatest naturalist of the XIX sæculum has filled out the great task of his life.

The "Darwinism", now already governating the whole biological science and the dayly increasing number of a Darwinists are the best testimony, that the name of Charles Darwin will be one of the most illustrious in history of science, for ever!

[3]

Please, communicate your dear mother my sincerest sympathy, and tell her, that I will never forget the most happy and interesting days, which I had three times at my visit to Down in your home.

Yours sincerely

Ernst Haeckel