John Murray an Ernst Haeckel, Edinburgh, 4. März 1897
32 Palmerston Place,
Edinburgh.
4 March 1897.
My dear Haeckel,
I was very pleased indeed to receive your letter and the Italian paper giving an account of your reception at Messina. I went into all Grassi’s work with Leptocephali at the time the Royal Society came to the decision to give him the Darwin medal. A few weeks ago we sent to the University of Messina || for the Zoological station 44 volumes of the Challenger Report. These were sent through the Italian Ambassador in London and should reach Messina about this time.
We had quite a lively time here a few weeks ago when we had the Nansenʼs staying with us. ‒ They had a great reception from the public. Since they left us we have both had very bad || colds, indeed a kind of influenza. We have both been in the house for over a week. Mrs Murray is still rather feverish.
We have made up our minds to start for San Remo, as soon as the doctors say Mrs Murray can travel. I think we can leave here about the end of next week. And we will be in San Remo I hope about the 15th March the purpose to stay a month on || the Riviera and then return home ‒ without any trace of colds I hope.
It would be a great pleasure should I be able to join you, Credner and Walter in the trip to Saint Petersburg in August. At all events we will hope to meet you at San Remo. I'll write you again in a day or two
yours sincerely
John Murray