From Friedrich Hildebrand   4 December 1880

Dear and honoured Sir,

I intended to read first your new book and then to write to you, but now it seems to me, that this would last too long, so I do not hesitate any longer to give you my best thanks for your new kindness.¹

I do not like to make much words and I beg your pardon, when I only say, that, after having done some glances into your book, my admiration of you is as great as it was ever before. In my lectures to the students there will be much more to say this winter about the movements of plants and your name will be mentioned again and again.²

The translation of the botanical garden—from one part of the town to another has almost taken all my time these two years and hindered me to work as I should have liked, but now I shall have more opportunity to make new observations and experiments.³

I beg you to give my remembrances to Mr Francis Darwin and remain | Dear Sir | yours | respectfully | Hildebrand