Many thanks for the last edition of your book. The translation is finished and a large part printed. By the new year, I hope the British public will be reading it. I want to ask you to be kind enough to write me a preface of two pages or so – for the English edition. I am very anxious that this book should be read and do good || amongst a real mass of English people. I am rather afraid that if I were to translate your last preface – it would prevent some of these poor stupid people from looking at the inside of the book. „What!” they will say „one of the ,Wir’! Oh! dreadful, damnable – Don’t look any further.” They require to be taught the facts without discussing inferences – otherwise they will refuse to learn. So will you write something for the poor || deluded British public – that will not frighten them. Did you receive Charlton Bastian’s book from me?
Believe me, dear Prof. Haeckel, with kind remembrances to friends at Jena
