Sir,

I beg to thank you for your so kindly acknowledging my inquiries regarding your works on “Orchids” and “The Cirripedia”.¹ My friend, I have since heard, did not know of Professor Bronn’s translation of the former work, although he possesses himself the late professor’s Translation of your excellent work on “The Origin of Species”: of which translation, I understand, the second edition of 1863 seems to be nearly exhausted.² My countrymen, as you may know, consider your enlightening works as a kind of intellectual hand-in-hand reading with or rather to Dr. Louis Büchner’s philosophical writings;³ whilst others, who have been happy enough to pursue your graphic Zoological descriptions and annotations in your “Zoology of the voyage of H. M. Ship Beagle” in the original language, are delighted with the vivid, Humboldt-like pictures you bring before their mental eyes.⁴

Your kindness encourages me to ask you another favour, the granting of which would very much gratify the friend in whose behalf I am asking it. He would feel much obliged to you for a flying leaf with a few lines in your autograph writing and signed with your esteemed name, in order to prefix it to his copy of your work on “The Origin of Species”.⁵ However few the words, relating, perhaps, to the great subject you are treating in such an ingenious manner,—they would be very welcome in a quiet, studious home of a just admirer of your writings. Pardon my having taken this liberty with the esteem and gratitude your readers everywhere have for you. As the memory of your distinguished grandfathers⁶ will for ever live in the minds of their grateful countrymen, thus your own will become a still more cosmopolite, but, nevertheless, an equally heartfelt one; and it cannot be but gratifying to you to see how Germany above all other countries has already entered into the spirit and the genius of your investigations.

Believe me to remain, | Sir, | ever your’s much obliged | Hermann Kindt.

Charles Darwin Esq. M.A. | etc. etc.