. 52.] TO CHARLES DARWIN. 491 



But the more that is so, the more necessary it is for 

 us to vindicate our integrity, at whatever cost. Let 

 us have it out now, even at the cost of ten times what 

 it has cost so far. 



I never thought anything of American institutions 

 for England. Aristocracy is a natural and needful 

 appendage to monarchy. You work out your own 

 type, and you will liberalize fast enough, and leave us 

 to do ours. We '11 make it do, with some jangling. 



I wish we could be shut up, like the Japanese of 

 old, for ten or twenty years, only with a weekly mail 

 from you and Dr. Hooker. Well, well ! 



Ever yours cordially, ASA GRAY. 



November 24. 



About Max Miiller ; surely you can't wonder that 

 the attempt to account for the " first origin of lan- 

 guage," or of anything else, should be the " least 

 satisfactory." 



The use that I fancied could be made of Max Miil- 

 ler's book, or rather of the history of language, is some- 

 thing more than illustration, but only a little more ; 

 that is, you may point to analogies of development 

 and diversification of language, of no value at all in 

 evidence in support of your theory, but good and per- 

 tinent as rebutting objections urged against it. 



Bishop Colenso's book will make a noise in Eng- 

 land ; indeed, I have only read the notice in the 

 " Athenaeum." 



You detest the spirit of the " Times " quoad U. S. 

 The " Athenaeum ' is just as bad in its little penny- 

 trumpet way, every chance it can get, from the first. 

 Can you be much surprised that we return dislike 

 with interest? But we are pleased to find there are 

 sensible and fair writers, such as Cairnes and Mill. 



