Marco Marcelline

查爾斯·達爾文的兩本筆記本在失蹤近22年后被匿名送回了劍橋大學。

Two“stolen”notebooks written by Charles Darwin were anonymously returned to Cambridge University, nearly 22 years after they went missing. The notebooks include the scientist's famousTree of Lifesketch and were believed to have been taken in November,2000.

Both notebooks were returned to the library in their original archive (檔案) box,and included a printed message which read, “Librarian... Happy Easter... X”.Cambridge University's librarian Dr Jessica Gardner said she felt joyous at their return.

At the very beginning, librarians had thought the notebooks had been misplaced by staff. After various checks through the years,head librarian Dr Gardner finally reported the notebooks as stolen to the police in 2020. Dr Gardner was worried that the notebooks might have taken a lifetime or longer to come back.“I thought it might take years. My sense of relief (安心) at the notebooks' safe return is profound and almost impossible to express. I was heartbroken to learn of their loss and my joy at their return is great.There have been tears.And I think there still will be, because we are not over the emotional roller coaster. It means so much to us to have these home,”she added.

Cambridge University libraries put the notebooks on display this summer, as part of the Darwin In Conversation, which opened on July 9.

Reading Check

How did Dr Gardner feel at the notebooks'return?

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