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Hunstanton
Kings Lynn
June 8th 82

My dear Sir,

I enclose one of my most valued treasures — a letter from your father; full as you will see, of encouragement written about the time I made the discovery of Palaeolithic Implements below boulder clay in East-Anglia. I had worked for years at this question and though perfectly satisfied in my own mind that many of the known implements were of glacial age, I could not prove my case till I

Francis Darwin Esq.

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found these implements. The annnouncement made a great stir, and I regret to say that so strenuously was the discovery debated that even my personal honour was impugned. This went on for three years and I was precluded from publishing full details because I was a government official, and the full evidence has not even yet been issued. But I gave the entire results at the Sheffield meeting of the Brit. Assocn. and won the day. Not a single geologist has ever seen the evidence on the ground, but without

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being convinced —the facts are so clear. Nevertheless Evans still demurs, but he has no argument to offer against the facts. I don't understand this sort of science; a matter does not want proving twenty times to make it true.

It was in the midst of this, to me harassing time, that the enclosed was sent to me, and as a proof (if needed) of the great consideration your father had for original workers it is most telling. It comforted me more than I can express, and did I not know you will

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be most careful with it, I could not part with it.

I may also say, I hope without egotism, that it also shows how clearly your father saw sound argument & went direct for the main point.

May I venture to sympathise with you? Mr. Darwin I know was the greatest scientific man the world ever saw, and I am sure he was also one of the best & kindest of men.

One of the lastest of his efforts was to write to the government on my behalf, when I met with an accident that will lay me by for some years –

Ever yours sincerely

Sydney B. J. Skertchly

P.S. I think this is the only letter of any public interest that I possess.