224 PUBLICATION OF THE 'ORIGIN OF SPECIES.' [1859. 



themselves of the truth of the foolishest doctrines, I feel 

 sometimes a little frightened, whether I may not be one of 

 these monomaniacs. 



Again pray excuse this, I fear, unreasonable request. A 

 short note would suffice, and I could bear a hostile verdict, and 

 shall have to bear many a one. 



Yours very sincerely, 



C. Darwin. 



C. Darwin to jf. D. Hooker. 



Ilkley, Yorkshire, 



Sunday [November, 1859]. 



My DEAR HOOKER, I have just read a review on my 

 book in the Athenoeum* and it excites my curiosity much 

 who is the author. If you should hear who writes in the 

 Athenceum I wish you would tell me. It seems to me well 

 done, but the reviewer gives no new objections, and, being 

 hostile, passes over every single argument in favour of the 

 doctrine, ... I fear from the tone of the review, that I have 

 written in a conceited and cocksure style,f which shames 

 me a little. There is another review of which I should like 

 to know the author, viz. of H. C. Watson in the Gardeners^ 

 Chronicle. % Some of the remarks are like yours, and he does 

 deserve punishment ; but surely the review is too severe. 

 Don't you think so ? . . . . 



I have heard from Carpenter, who, I think, is likely to be a 

 convert. Also from Ouatrefages, who is inclined to go a 

 long way with us. He says that he exhibited in his lecture 

 a diagram closely like mine ! 



* Nov. 19, 1859. ulties "more or less confidently." 

 t The Reviewer speaks of the % A review of the fourth volume 



author's u evident self-satisfaction," of Watson's ' Cybele Britannica,' 



and of his disposing of all diffic- Card. C/iron., 1859, p. 911. 



