Ɛpsilon

To Ernst Haeckel   15 July 1879

Down, | Beckenham, Kent. | (Railway Station | Orpington. S.E.R.)

July 15. 1879

My dear Häckel

On August 1st we all go for a month to the Lakes in Cumberland, as I want a little rest. If your return home is delayed till September & you can possibly spare the time, I hope that you will pay us a visit, as it would be a great pleasure to me to see you.1

I am astonished to hear what a gigantic undertaking the description of the Radiolarians collected during the Challenger expedition proves to be.2

I am glad to hear that your labours on the Medusæ are drawing to a close.3

For Heaven sake do not overwork your brain, & always remember what a tender organ it is.

My dear Häckel | Yours very sincerely | Charles Darwin

1
The Darwins stayed at Coniston in the Lake District from 2 to 27 August 1879, spending the night of 1 August in London (Emma Darwin’s diary (DAR 242)). Haeckel was planning a visit to Edinburgh at the end of August, possibly returning via London (see letter from Ernst Haeckel, 12 July 1879).
2
Haeckel was going to describe the Radiolaria collected on the HMS Challenger expedition (see letter from Ernst Haeckel, 12 July 1879 and n. 5).
3
Haeckel’s Das System der Medusen (the first volume of Haeckel 1879–81) was published in 1879 (see letter from Ernst Haeckel, 12 July 1879 and nn. 3 and 4).

Manuscript Alterations and Comments

0.1 (Railway … S.E.R.)] parentheses added

Please cite as “DCP-LETT-12159,” in Ɛpsilon: The Charles Darwin Collection accessed on 5 June 2025, https://epsilon.ac.uk/view/dcp-data/letters/DCP-LETT-12159