WCP3330

[1]

Herford

Westfalen Germany

19/4 13

Sir!

I cannot find words to thank you very much — as I should like to do — for your great kindness and honour of sending me your book with dedication. Its often as I read in the book and see your dear photo you will be with me. My health forbids me going over to England or it would be the most beautiful thing I could imagine to see once more the places where I was happy[2] when I was still young; and as the Isle of Wight belongs to them, I should be very pleased of course to call on you, if you would allow it.

I have read in your book with much interest of the leader[?] and red Myriapoda¹ in Celebes²which are harmless. Häckel found some of the same size in Ceylon but black and grass-green. Häckel showed them to me in spirit in his museum. He told me that the black Myriapoda was quite harmless, but the green one very venomous.[3] He would have been the victim of this little animal, if his servant had not warned him just in time; and he put it at one[sic] in spirit.

So the natural philosophers are often in danger. You had always much to do with the fever, surely ruining your body, and you may claim now your deserved peace.

Yours faithfully | Frau Elise Schönfeld [signature]