1 859.] MR. WALLACE. 145 



I have heard to my amazement this morning from Phillips 



that the Geological Council have given me the Wollaston 



Medal ! ! ! 



Ever yours, 



C. Darwin. 



C. Darwin to J. D. Hooker. 



Down, Jan. 23rd, 1859. 



... I enclose letters to you and me from Wallace. I ad- 

 mire extremely the spirit in which they are written. I never felt 

 very sure what he would say. He must be an amiable man. 

 Please return that to me, and Lyell ought to be told how 

 well satisfied he is. These letters have vividly brought before 

 me how much I owe to your and Lyell's most kind and 

 generous conduct in all this affair. 



. . . How glad I shall be when the Abstract is finished, 

 and I can rest ! . . . 



C. Darwin to A. R. Wallace. 



Down, Jan. 25th [1859]. 



My dear Sir, I was extremely much pleased at receiving 

 three days ago your letter to me and that to Dr. Hooker. 

 Permit me to say how heartily I admire the spirit in which 

 they are written. Though I had absolutely nothing whatever 

 to do in leading Lyell and Hooker to what they thought a 

 fair course of action, yet I naturally could not but feel anxious 

 to hear what your impression would be. I owe indirectly 

 much to you and them ; for I almost think that Lyell would 

 have proved right, and I should never have completed my 

 larger work, for I have found my Abstract hard enough with 

 my poor health, but now, thank God, I am in my last chapter 

 but one. My Abstract will make a small volume of 400 or 

 500 pages. Whenever published, I will, of course, send you a 

 copy, and then you will see what I mean about the part 

 which I believe selection has played with domestic produc- 



YOL. II. L 



