Henry Fairfield Osborn an Ernst Haeckel, New York, 12. August 1908
AMERICAN MUSEUM OF NATURAL HISTORY
NEW YORK
12. August, 1908
My dear friend and colleague:
I owe you many apologies for delaying so long in sending an answer to your letter of March 3rd in regard to your phyletic museum. I have in the meantime been abroad and found great pressure on my time both before and after my return, so that I have not been able to take into consideration your request to send some of the models and restorations made by Charles R. Knight under my direction for your museum, as a personal gift and testimonial of my esteem for you and for your grand work for zoology. It will not be possible for our museum to present such a collection, because our rules only admit of sending collections in exchange, and I imagine in this case that you have little or nothing which you could send us.
I send you a copy of our latest catalogue, and write to ask especially in what size you would like to have those restorations: whether in the large size, that is, whether you have abundant wall space, or in the smaller size. In sending out these restorations it is understood that not having been published, they are to be || used solely for museum and educational purposes. They are beeing prepared for a work which I myself am engageda upon.
I fear that it will be somewhat difficult for you to interest Mr. Andrew Carnegie in your project, but I would strongly advise you to write to him a letter translated into English and typewritten, if you will allow me the suggestion, so that it can be very readily understood, telling him of your plan and of your special need for his assistance. You may add that the project has my warm endorsement.
It was a regret to me that you were unable to attend the zoological congress here last year. It was a great success in every way, and on the whole the attendance was very representative although we missed many of the nestors of the science, like yourself.
Believe me,
Always sincerely and gratefully yours,
Henry Fairfield Osborn
Professor Dr. Ernst Haeckel.
a korr. aus: egaged