Highly honoured Sir.

Only the deepest interest for collecting autographs and the highest veneration for you, whose great name is famed throughout the world could inspire your most obidient servant to incommodate you with such an unimportant and insignificant question as the following is

For he must continually observe with the deepest grief that the collection arranged by him does not yet contain such a renowned name as Yours and as every attempt at obtaining the same has till now been without the desired result, he has at length ventured to mention to you direct his immodest desire for some few lines written by Your own hand.

Only one single word, the high name: Charles Darwin, written by you, would render him the happiest collector of autographs.

With the highest esteem | Your most humble servant | Kirchenpauer

Hamburg the 4 of December | 1871

To | Ulrich Kirchenpauer son of the Lord Mayor of Hamburg | G. H. Kirchenpauer D^r.¹ | Hamburg