When the founder of socialism sent the father of the theory of evolution a copy of Das Kapital, his critical analysis of capitalism, he gave the book this dedication: “From your sincere admirer, Karl Marx.”
However, the love seems to have been one-sided, thinks English Heritage, the foundation that manages and maintains Darwin’s house in the south-east of England. In any case, the condition of the century-and-a-half-old book suggests that Darwin soon gave up reading – according to the charity because he was unimpressed, or because his German was less than perfect.
Yet Darwin wrote back to Marx almost three months after receiving the book, although “without his usual color and warmth,” according to English Heritage. In his response, Darwin wrote that he wished he were more worthy of the “honor” of receiving Das Kapital because he did not properly understand the subject. “Although our studies are very different, I believe that we both earnestly desire the expansion of knowledge, and that this will certainly contribute to the happiness of humanity in the long run.”