From Ercole Ricotti1   29 December 1879

Turin,

29 Decembre 1879

Le Président | de l’Académie Royale des Sciences de Turin

Monsieur le Professeur

J’ai l’honneur des vous annoncer que l’Académie Royale des Sciences de Turin, dans sa séance du 28 de ce mois, vous a adjugé le prix de 12000 lives. Itl. fondé par feu le Doct. Bressa, dans le concours comprenant les auteurs de decouvertes, publications et inventions faites dans tout le monde scientifique dans le courant des années 1875–76–77–78.2

L’Académie des Sciences de Turin est heureuse de pouvoir, par l’adjudication de ce prix, vous prouver la haute considération qu’elle vous professe comme investigateur des secrets de la nature, et la grande valeur qu’elle attribue a vos dernières recherches sur le phenomènes de la physiologie végétale

En vous faisant connaitre le vote de l’Académie de Turin, je suis heureux de saisir cette occasion, pour vous fair hommage de ma haute considération

Votre très dev. Serviteur et Collègue | Le Président | E. Ricotti

P.S. Veuillez, Mr le Profr, charger quelqu’un fondé de vos pouvoirs pour ritirer la somme, sus-dite qui dès ce jour est à votre disposition3

A Monsieur | M. Charles Darwin | Londres

LS(A)

1
For a translation of this letter, see Appendix I.
3
See Correspondence vol. 28, letter to Ercole Ricotti, 4 January 1880. CD recorded the receipt of £418 18s. 10d. under the heading ‘Bressa prize’ on 17 January 1880 (CD’s Account books–banking account (Down House MS)).

From Ercole Ricotti1   29 December 1879

Turin,

29 December 1879

The President | of the Royal Academy of Sciences of Turin

Professor

I have the honour of informing you that the Royal Academy of Sciences of Turin, in its meeting on the 28th of this month, awarded you the prize of 12000 Italian liras founded by the late Doct. Bressa, in the competition comprising authors of discoveries, publications and inventions made throughout the scientific world during the span of years 1875–76–77–78.2

The Academy of Sciences of Turin is happy to be able, by the award of this prize, to show you the high esteem in which it holds you as an investigator of the secrets of nature, and the great value which it places on your recent researches into the phenomena of plant physiology

While informing you of the vote of the Academy of Turin, I am pleased to take this opportunity, of paying you my greatest respects

Your very dev. Servant and Colleague | President | E. Ricotti

P.S. Please, Professor, appoint someone delegated with your authority to collect the aforesaid sum, which from today is at your disposal3

To Mr. | Charles Darwin | London

LS(A)

1
For a transcription of this letter in its original French, see Transcript.
3
See Correspondence vol. 28, letter to Ercole Ricotti, 4 January 1880. CD recorded the receipt of £418 18s. 10d. under the heading ‘Bressa prize’ on 17 January 1880 (CD’s Account books–banking account (Down House MS)).

Please cite as “DCP-LETT-12376A,” in Ɛpsilon: The Charles Darwin Collection accessed on 5 June 2025, https://epsilon.ac.uk/view/dcp-data/letters/DCP-LETT-12376A