From Ernst Krause1   16 February 1880

Berlin N.O. Friedenstrase 10. II.

den 16.2.1880.

Hochverehrter Herr!

Ich schreibe heut nur ein Paar Zeilen, um Ihnen für Ihre freundlichen Mittheilungen herzlichst zu danken und Ihnen zu sagen, dass ich Ihrem Rathe folgen und auf jegliche Antwort an Herrn Butler verzichten werde.2 Es ist gewiss das Richtigste, Angreifern, die eine solche mala fides3 verrathen, wie die Benutzung Ihres Briefes, und seine verschiedenen Verdächtigungen enthalten, gar nicht zu antworten. Ihm selbst ist das gewiss viel unangenehmer, als wenn er irgend eine Antwort erh⁠⟨⁠iel⁠⟩⁠te, die ihm erlaubte, den Streit fortzuspinnen.

In herzlicher Ergebenheit, hochgeehrter Herr, | Ihr | dankbarer | Ernst Krause

For a translation of this letter, see Appendix I.
See letters to Ernst Krause, 9 February 1880 and 13 February 1880. Krause had considered responding to Samuel Butler’s letter to the Athenæum (see letter from Ernst Krause, 6 February 1880; for Butler’s letter, see the letter to H. E. Litchfield, 1 February [1880], enclosure 1).
Mala fides: bad faith (Latin).

From Ernst Krause1   16 February 1880

Berlin N.O. Friedenstrase 10. II.

16.2.1880.

Most esteemed Sir!

I am writing you only a few lines today to thank you most cordially for your kind communications and to tell you that I shall follow your advice and refrain from responding to Mr Butler in any form.2 Surely it is best not to reply at all to aggressors who betray such mala fides3 as to use your letter and who hold various suspicions. For him this very likely is much more unpleasant than if he received some reply that would allow him to carry on this dispute.

In cordial devotion, most esteemed Sir, | Yours | gratefully | Ernst Krause

For a transcription of this letter in its original German, see p. 93–4.
See letters to Ernst Krause, 9 February 1880 and 13 February 1880. Krause had considered responding to Samuel Butler’s letter to the Athenæum (see letter from Ernst Krause, 6 February 1880; for Butler’s letter, see the letter to H. E. Litchfield, 1 February [1880], enclosure 1).
Mala fides: bad faith (Latin).

Please cite as “DCP-LETT-12484,” in Ɛpsilon: The Charles Darwin Collection accessed on 5 June 2025, https://epsilon.ac.uk/view/dcp-data/letters/DCP-LETT-12484