Thomas Henry Huxley an Ernst Haeckel, London, 24. April 1866
The Royal School of Mines
Jermyn S.
April 24th 1866
My dear Sir
I hope it is hardly necessary for busy men like ourselves, to apologize to one another for leaving letters unanswered – From October to April my moral sense, in the matter of answering letters, altogether disappears. But with a little leisure (and fine weather) conscience revives and I begin to look up my correspondence.
However, my immediate object in addressing you at present is not so much to thank you for || your letter of November last, which I heartily valued and appreciated, as to beg you to visit us on the occasion of the meeting of the British association at Nottingham in August next. – I am to preside over the Biological Section at this meeting and as President, I am authorized to offer the hospitality of Nottingham to six or seven eminent foreigners –
Of these I am very anxious you should be one – If you will come, my friend Dr Ransome || whose guest I shall be, places a room in his house at your disposal and will give you a thoroughly English welcome.
The meeting commences at the twenty second of August and lasts a week.
Kindly let me have an answer (I trust an affirmative one) upon this point as soon as you conveniently can.
I have to thank you for several papers. The value || and intent of which are obvious from the hasty glance over their contents which in all my other avocations have yet allowed me to devote to them. –
Some of these days I shall take occasion to submit to you a few doubts touching your wonderful care of medusan development.
Darwin, (who you will be glad to hear is better than he has been) gave me some knowledge of the nature of the domestic trouble to which you referred in your last letter to me.
I earnestly trust that time, the best of Physicians next to work, has brought alleviation to your sorrow.
Believe me
Yours very faithfully
T. H. Huxley