John Murray (Challenger Office) an Ernst Haeckel, Edinburgh, 12. Dezember 1889
28 Douglas Crescent,
Edinburgh.
12 December 1889.
My Dear Haeckel
I have received the box with the books and have forwarded them all to their destination. I thank you very much for the copy you have sent me and still more for the merry inscription you have placed on the first page, which calls up very many pleasant remembrances, and has very much pleased my wife. I really think you get through more || good work than any other scientific man I know. May you long be able to do as much as you have done in the past ten years.
We have now settled down here comfortably in a very nice house in the West End of Edinburgh. We will be here for two years at least – till I have completely finished with the Challenger work. I hope you with some of your family will visit us before long. We will make you very welcome. || We have your picture of the Cape in a prominent place in our dining room and I show it with much pleasure to our friends.
We are now preparing and are a little anxious about a coming domestic event. The baby is expected sometime about the New Year! My wife has been very well and there is reason to hope that all will go well.
I have still two more volumes of the Challenger to write and pass through the press. || The Government have become tired of the expense of the publications, and will only give £1600 to complete the work. However I have undertaken the work and it will likely cost me a lot of money. I am not now in receipt of any salary and must pay rent, assistants and all that sort of thing out of the £1600. But it is a good thing to complete the work properly and I mean to try. Merry Christmas and Happy New Year to you and all your family from us both
Yours ever
John Murray
Thank Dr Semon for his papers.a
a Text weiter auf S. 1 oben: Thank … papers.