My dear Sir

I have read your Preface with care.¹ It seems to me that you have treated Bronn with complete respect & great delicacy, & that you have alluded to your own labour with much modesty. I do not think that any of Bronn’s friends can complain of what you say & what you have done. For my own sake I grieve that you have not added notes, as I am sure that I should have profited much by them; but as you have omitted Bronn’s objections, I believe that you have acted with excellent judgment & fairness in leaving the text without comment to the independent verdict of the reader.² I heartily congratulate you that the main part of your labour is over: it would have been to most men a very troublesome task, but you seem to have indomitable powers of work, judging from those two wonderful & most useful volumes on zoological literature, edited by you, & which I never open without surprise at their accuracy & gratitude for their usefulness.—³ I cannot sufficiently tell you how much I rejoice that you were persuaded to superintend the translation of the present edition of my book, for I have now the great satisfaction of knowing that the German public can judge fairly of its merits & demerits.—⁴

I have written to D^r. Carpenter for a specimen of the Eozoon & I hear from M^rs. Carpenter that he is out of London, but she thinks he will be able & will have great pleasure in sending you a specimen.⁵

When I receive it, I will send it by post if not too heavy; but if too heavy by the Booksellers M^essrs. Williams & Norgate.

with my cordial & sincere thanks, believe me | My dear Sir | Yours very faithfully | Ch. Darwin