By Tim Binnall
A pair of priceless Charles Darwin manuscripts that went missing over two decades ago have been mysteriously returned to Cambridge University in England. Featuring some of the naturalist's most significant observations, including his iconic 'Tree of Life' sketch, the two notebooks had reportedly vanished from the institution's library at some point back in late 2000 or early 2001 when they were in the process of being photographed for preservation. Although it was initially suspected that they had merely been misplaced, a subsequent exhaustive search turned up no sign of the works and they were eventually reported stolen in autumn of 2020.
The matter of the missing manuscripts, believed to be worth millions of dollars, sparked an investigation by authorities, including Interpol, and led the university to issue a "worldwide appeal" for their safe return. Although it was suspected that the notebooks were far too unique to be sold on the black market, whether the library would ever see the works again was another issue entirely. However, fears that the landmark journals might be lost forever were put to rest in early March when a pink gift bag containing a peculiar package was discovered sitting outside of university librarian's main office in an area of the building which is conveniently not covered by security cameras.
Upon opening the curious 'delivery,' administrators were astounded to discover that it consisted of the two precious Darwin notebooks, which were carefully wrapped in plastic, as well as a note from the individual who had returned the manuscripts. The somewhat mischievous message was addressed to the university librarian and simply stated "Happy Easter" with the enigmatic signature "X." That wish for a cheerful holiday has seemingly already been fulfilled as, in announcing the recovery of the works, Dr Jessica Gardner marveled that "my sense of relief at the notebooks’ safe return is profound and almost impossible to adequately express."
While the whereabouts of the missing manuscripts may now be solved, the case surrounding their disappearance and eventual return remains under investigation. To that end, authorities are currently combing over a slew of university security camera footage from the day that they were returned in the hopes of catching a glimpse of the person who delivered the package. Should they be identified, one assumes that the individual will face considerable legal consequences for their role in the heist of the historic materials. Meanwhile, the notebooks themselves have been returned to the university's Darwin collection and will be showcased at a public event later this summer.