TRANSLATION 



Hotel Monte Generoso at 

 Mendrisio, Tessin, July 28, 1.88?, 



Honored Sir] 



When I received your kind letter of Jan. 22 I again - as has happened so often 

 before in my life - regretted very much that It is not possible for me to divide 

 myself or to double my working time. If you knew the amount of work with which I 

 am regularly burdened, but has especially rested upon me in the last year, your judgment 

 would certainly be mild. Only now, shortly before the start of my vacation, I finished 

 with the abstract about gall literature (pro 1880, 128 articles, essays, works, etc., 

 which from you devolved upon me, approx. 110 for reference), I breathe freely and am 

 enjoying here momentarily, but unfortunately only a short sojourn of recuperation. 

 First of all I want to write to you and to assure you that all of the treasures, which 

 you so kindly sent to me, will be taken into work » I cannot and will not work carelessly 

 and thoughtlessly, rather arrive later but with solid results. One can lose the priority 

 100 times and obtain up to 100 different objectives or theories; but the reputation of 

 an exacting and reliable researcher one can lose only once and scarcely ever regain. 

 Up to now this has been my thought and I will not permit myself through any kind of 

 pressure, regardless of which side it may bome from, change my mind, - anyway am firmly 

 convinced, that you think exactly the same and with knowledge of the circumstances 

 will not condemn me. That, of course, was and remains a big mistake and even more than 

 an (completely unintentional) impoliteness that I did not immediately report to you the 

 arrival of the shipment, and because of this gross neglect, I again sincerely ask 

 your pardon. I had just hoped from month to month to start with the examination and 

 send you an early report. 



The incident with your shipment contributed in: letting me ^banden reporting the 

 Information for ?, Just f s Bot. Jahresber." which, because of the diversity of the litera- 

 ture in countless Journals of all different kinds, consumed relatively enormous amount 

 of time. Thereby, I am gaining leisure for ray examinations, as far as this is at all 

 possible with 20 weekly Instruction hours. At any rate you may be assured that scientific 

 material about plant galls will not remain unused in my hands, and that as far as the 

 merits of the botanical collect or are concerned, I will than give the most conscientious 

 notice. 



Recently in Zürich I saw in the herbarium of the late Bremi an object (probably 

 brought there through A. Braun) from you, in a letter collected at the Frankfurt er (9/0?) 

 post-house Potentilla tormentilla with erineum -like hairiness. I have observed the same 

 Information in Thüringen in examination and there for take the liberty to ask: Have you 

 observed this interesting deformation on the same species at other places? 

 With best greetings, 



Sincerely, 

 Dr. Fr. Thomas 



IUI IUI 





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