It’s a positive note.
Two of Charles Darwin’s notebooks from 1837, stolen over 20 years ago from a library in England, were anonymously returned to the library last month.
The notebooks, which include an early sketch of Darwin’s famous “Tree of Life” diagram, were no worse for wear despite disappearing for two decades, Cambridge University Library said in a press release.
On March 9, library staff discovered the cling-wrapped books and a note that read simply: “Librarian, Happy Easter, X.”
“My sense of relief at the notebooks’ safe return is profound and almost impossible to adequately express,” Cambridge University Librarian Dr. Jessica Gardner said. “Along with so many others all across the world, I was heartbroken to learn of their loss and my joy at their return is immense.”
Darwin’s notebooks were last seen in November 2000, when they were photographed. But during a routine check in January 2001, they were nowhere to be found.
For nearly 20 years, librarians at Cambridge assumed the historic documents were simply missing somewhere in the library’s vast collection of Darwin-related and other material. Cambridge University Library has more than 10 million objects.
But at the beginning of 2020, Gardner decided to find the notebooks once and for all. However, the search she commissioned came up empty. The library announced in November that the books, with an estimated value in the millions of dollars, had been stolen, launching a worldwide search.
When the notebooks were returned, whoever dropped them off made sure to stay away from library cameras, according to Cambridge’s statement. Local police are still investigating the theft.
In addition to the “Tree of Life” sketch, the notebooks include various musings from Darwin from the 1830s about the origin of species. They will be displayed at the library beginning in July as part of an exhibition, “Darwin in Conversation.”
