504 LETTERS TO DARWIN AND OTHERS. [1863, 



3. On transmutation matters. That part of the 

 book I can judge somewhat of, and I declare it first- 

 rate. It is just about what I expected, and is charac- 

 teristic of the man. I think that you, and Hooker, 

 are unreasonable in complaining of Lyell that he 

 does not come out " flat-footed," as we say, as an ad- 

 vocate of natural-selection transmutation. For, 1st, it 

 is evident that though inclined strongly towards it he 

 is by no means satisfied that natural selection will do 

 all the work you put upon it. 2d, he very plainly 

 implies nearly all you would have him say. And, 3d, 

 he serves your cause (supposing it to be well-founded) 

 quite as effectually, perhaps, by his guarded position, 

 by his keeping the position of a judge rather than of 

 an advocate, and by considering still the case as not 

 yet ripe for a decision. 



Very skillfully, too, has he presented the case of 

 transmutation so as to commend it, as much as pos- 

 sible, to us orthodox people. (Huxley, I suppose, 

 whose two books I have not seen, would put it in a 

 way to frighten us off.) Indeed, I think he has shown 

 remarkable judgment and taste, and will have much 

 success in disarming prejudice. And this is all you 

 could ask. 



The chapter on language makes the points I sup- 

 posed would be made, or some of them, but only dips 

 in, leaving more to be said. But this is rather tick- 

 lish ground, for, if we are not careful here, you would 

 get the better of us in this field quoad design. 



If I had got the book three or four weeks earlier I 

 should have worked in some notice of the last chapter 

 into my review of De Candolle, etc., on Species, in 

 the May number of " Silliman's Journal." 



Now please do not think of being ill this spring, 



