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THE AMERICAN NATURALIST [Vol. XLIII 



word of greeting on that occasion would be very appro- 

 priate, and pleasing to his botanical colleagues in Amer- 

 ica, Professor Francis Darwin sent the following letter 

 to the president of the Botanical Society of America. It 

 arrived, unfortunately, for a reason stated in the letter, 

 too late for the meeting, but it obviously belongs with 

 the other contributions thereto. 



13, Madingley Road, Cambridge. Dee. 23, '08. 



Dear Sir; 



Owing to absence from home I am only now able to answer your 

 very kind letter. I am afraid my answer can not reach you in time, 

 which I much regret. I should have liked to express thro'h you as 

 president my sympathy with this assembling of American botanists 

 to honour my father's memory. It is a source of sincere satisfaction 

 to me to know that such a meeting is to be held. I am reminded of 

 my father's words to Asa Gray: 



"Hooker has forwarded to me your letter to him; and I can not 

 express how deeply it has gratified me. To receive the approval of a 

 man whom one has long sincerely respected, and whose judgment and 

 knowledge are most universally admitted, is the highest reward an 

 author can possibly wish for." 



Your meeting is a posthumous "reward," and though I have no 

 right to speak for English botanists I know that they will appreciate 



Yours sincerely, 



Francis Darwin. 



