Gaius Plinius Caecilius Secundus sends greetings to his friend Tacitus.

I am gratified to hear that your little Cornelia's first word was “daddy” (1) - such filial piety at such a young age bodes well! I am sure you and Julia are proud to be so blessed as to have two strong, healthy, promising sons, as well as a dear little daughter. Please send them all my greetings, as well as greetings from my mother, my uncle, and from Calpurnia.

I knew that my uncle’s new theory would intrigue you, though I promise you, it has nothing to do with the more historically interesting subject of his exile! At any rate, his new theory is based on observing fish and small birds, and he is very busy revising the existing volumes of his Historia Naturalis  (2) to accommodate it.

As you have no doubt noticed, nature has suited various animals to the place and manner in which they live, such that there are birds which live happily in the desert, other that live in the sea, and other in deep forests or on high mountains. My uncle, for example, noted many years ago on a trip to Egypt that the sparrows in the desert were more slender, long and thin, than the sparrows which visit our Villa in Como, even though they are clearly the same sort of bird. He has been making numerous similar observations since we have arrived on Ilva, especially in terms of comparing fresh and salt water fish. My mother particularly enjoys this field of study, as it greatly enhances our dinner table.

My uncle has also been paying much attention of late to the breeding and husbandry of animals. Originally, he wished to add more information on the subject to his book, but he soon connected the idea of breeding of farm animals to the idea of birds and fish suited to by nature to their environment. He has now decided that nature acts in the same manner as a careful farmer, and breeds the animals to suit their environment. Moreover, he says that this is achieved through the accumulation of small changes over time, perhaps so long as millions of years. It is an interesting idea, but I do not think it is as novel as he makes out.

Enclosed are some shells found on the beach. If the messenger does not produce them, be sure to chastise him soundly, as my uncle sends them for the enjoyment and gratification of young Gaius and Publius.

Farewell.

A.D. V KAL. IVL.

(1)   The Latin term used by Pliny is  ‘tata’

(2)   Still unfinished at Pliny the Elder’s death three years later