Volume I Part 42 (2/2)

I send by this post e,” and ”variation” of species in large and senera You have undertaken a horrid job in so very kindly offering to read it, and I thank you warmly I have just corrected the copy, and ah and obscure it is; I cannot ht of it The style of course requires further correction, and if published I must try, but as yet see not how, to make it clearer

If you have much to say and can have patience to consider the whole subject, I would meet you in London on the Phil Club day, so as to save you the trouble of writing For Heaven's sake, you stern and awful judge and sceptic, re that Botanists enera It seeain I thank you most sincerely, but I fear you will find it a horrid job

Ever yours, C DARWIN

PS--As usual, Hydropathy has made a man of ood

CHARLES DARWIN TO AR WALLACE Down, December 22nd, 1857

My dear Sir,

I thank you for your letter of Septe to distribution in accordance with theoretical ideas I aood and original observation Few travellers have attended to such points as you are noork on; and, indeed, the whole subject of distribution of animals is dreadfully behind that of plants You say that you have been so been taken of your paper in the Annals ('On the law that has regulated the introduction of New Species' Ann Nat Hist, 1855) I cannot say that I a beyond the mere description of species But you must not suppose that your paper has not been attended to: two very good men, Sir C Lyell, and Mr E Blyth at Calcutta, specially calledwith you on your conclusions in that paper, I believe I goa subject to enter on my speculative notions I have not yet seen your paper on the distribution of animals in the Aru Islands I shall read it with the ut quarter of the whole globe in respect to distribution, and I have long been very io I shall be quite prepared to subscribe to your doctrine of subsidence; indeed, from the quite independent evidence of the Coral Reefs I coloured inal map (in my Coral voluhtened and left it uncoloured But I can see that you are inclined to go ard to the former connection of oceanic islands with continents Ever since poor E Forbes propounded this doctrine it has been eagerly followed; and Hooker elaborately discusses the former connection of all the Antarctic Islands and New Zealand and South Ao I discussed this subject much with Lyell and Hooker (for I shall have to treat of it), and wrote out lad to hear that neither Lyell nor Hooker thought uments Nevertheless, for once in acity of Lyell

You ask about land-shells on islands far distant from continents: Madeira has a few identical with those of Europe, and here the evidence is really good, as some of them are sub-fossil In the Pacific Islands there are cases of identity, which I cannot at present persuade ency; although Dr

Aug Gould has conclusively shown that many land-shells have thus been distributed over the Pacific byHave you not found it so in the Malay Archipelago? It has seemed to me in the lists of mammals of Timor and other islands, that SEVERAL in all probability have been naturalised

You ask whether I shall discuss ”man” I think I shall avoid the whole subject, as so surrounded with prejudices; though I fully ad problem for the naturalist My work, on which I have now been at work ; but I hope it will aid by giving a large collection of facts, with one definite end I get on very slowly, partly froot about half written; but I do not suppose I shall publish under a couple of years I have now been three whole months on one chapter on Hybridism!

I am astonished to see that you expect to remain out three or four years more What a wonderful deal you will have seen, and what interesting areas--the grand Malay Archipelago and the richest parts of South Ae in the good cause of Natural Science; and you have ood wishes for success of all kinds, and may all your theories succeed, except that on Oceanic Islands, on which subject I will do battle to the death

Pray believe me, my dear sir, yours very sincerely, C DARWIN

CHARLES DARWIN TO WD FOX February 8th [1858]

I a very hard at , and I aroups I am like Croesus overwhelmed with my riches in facts, and I o to press at soonest for a couple of years

CHARLES DARWIN TO JD HOOKER February 23rd [1858]

I was not reat Buckle, and I admired the way you stuck up about deduction and induction I a his book ('The History of Civilisation'), which, with much sophistry, as it seeinal, and with astounding knowledge

I saw that you adhly; there is sorand in her sweet tones

Farewell I have partly written this note to drive bee's-cells out of my head; for I am half-mad on the subject to try to les may result (He had much correspondence on this subject with the late Professor Miller of Calad to see Mrs Hooker on Friday; hoell she appears to be and looks

Forgive your intolerable but affectionate friend, C DARWIN

CHARLES DARWIN TO WD FOX Down, April 16th [1858]

My dear Fox,

I want you to observe one point for ive you no trouble beyond keeping your eyes open, and that is a habit I know full well that you have