42 



GROWTH OF THE 'ORIGIN.' 



[1854. 



not break down), I shall gnash my teeth and abuse you for 

 having put so many hostile facts so confoundedly well. 



Ever yours affectionately, 



C. Darwin. 



C. Darwin to J. D. Hooker. 



Down, March 26th [1854]. 

 My DEAR HOOKER, I had hoped that you would have 

 had a little breathing-time after your Journal, but this seems 

 to be very far from the case ; and I am the more obliged 

 (and somewhat contrite) for the long letter received this 

 morning, most juicy with news and most interesting to me in 

 many ways. I am very glad indeed to hear of the reforms, 

 &c, in the Royal Society. With respect to the Club,* I am 

 deeply interested ; only two or three days ago, I was regretting 

 to my wife, how I was letting drop and being dropped by 

 nearly all my acquaintances, and that I would endeavour to 

 go oftener to London ; I was not then thinking of the Club, 

 which, as far as any one thing goes, would answer my exact 

 object in keeping up old and making some new acquaintances. 

 I will therefore come up to London for every (with rare 

 exceptions) Club-day, and then my head, I think, will allow 

 me on an average to go to every other meeting. But it is 



* The Philosophical Club, to 

 which my father was elected (as 

 Professor Bonney is good enough 

 to inform me) on April 24, 1854. He 

 resigned his membership in 1864. 

 The Club was founded in 1847. 

 The number of members being 

 limited to 47, it was proposed to 

 christen it " the Club of 47," but 

 the name was never adopted. The 

 nature of the Club may be gathered 

 from its first rule : " The purpose 

 of the Club is to promote as much 

 as possible the scientific objects of 

 the Royal Society ; to facilitate 



intercourse between those Fellows 

 who are actively engaged in culti- 

 vating the various branches of 

 Natural Science, and who have 

 contributed to its progress ; to in- 

 crease the attendance at the evening 

 meetings, and to encourage the 

 contribution and discussion of 

 papers." The Club met for dinner 

 at 6, and the chair was to be 

 quitted at 8.15, it being expected 

 that members would go to the 

 Royal Society. Of late years the 

 dinner has been at 6 . 30, the Society 

 meeting in the afternoon. 



