Jena, 24 April 1882
Dear Francis Darwin!
I thank you very much for your kind communication regarding the last days of your dear father. You know, that I am one of his warmest admirers and of his most thankful disciples. I was therefore extremely sorry, to hear of your fathers death and of the great loss, which science and mankind has to suffer from him. ||
Your dear father died on the same day, on which I landed at Triest, returning from Egypt; and I read the notice in the newspaper two days later, in the railway going to Vienna. I returned here to Jena Friday 21. April.
The long life of your father is so extremely rich on the most wonderful work and the greatest scientific success, that the dolour on his death || is somewhat mitigated through the contemplation, how completely this greatest naturalist of the XIX. sæculum has filled out the great task of his life.
The ”Darwinism”, now already governating (sic) the whole biological science, and the dayly (sic) increasing number of “Darwinists” are the best testimony, that the name of Charles Darwin will be one of the most illustrious in history of science, for ever! ||
Please, communicate your dear mother my sincerest sympathy, and tell her, that I will never forget the most happy and interesting days, which I had three times at my visit to Down in your house.
Yours sincerely
Ernst Haeckel
