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



alluded (and there are others almost as bad), greatly shocked 

 my moral taste. I think, in speculating on organic descent, 

 you over-state the evidence of geology ; and that you under- 

 state it while you are talking of the broken links of your 

 natural pedigree : but my paper is nearly done, and I must 

 go to my lecture-room. Lastly, then, I greatly dislike the con- 

 cluding chapter not as a summary, for in that light it appears 

 good but I dislike it from the tone of triumphant confidence 

 in which you appeal to the rising generation (in a tone I con- 

 demned in the author of the ' Vestiges ') and prophecy of things 

 not yet in the womb of time, nor (if we are to trust the accumu- 

 lated experience of human sense and the inferences of its 

 logic) ever likely to be found anywhere but in the fertile womb 

 of man's imagination. And now to say a word about a son of 

 a monkey and an old friend of yours : I am better, far better, 

 than I was last year. I have been lecturing three days 

 a week (formerly I gave six a week) without much fatigue, 

 but I find by the loss of activity and memory, and of all pro- 

 ductive powers, that my bodily frame is sinking slowly towards 

 the earth. But I have visions of the future. They are as 

 much a part of myself as my stomach and my heart, and these 

 visions are to have their antitype in solid fruition of what is 

 best and greatest. But on one condition only that I humbly 

 accept God's revelation of Himself both in His works and in 

 His word, and do my best to act in conformity with that 

 knowledge which He only can give me, and He only can 

 sustain me in doing. If you and I do all this, we shall meet 

 in heaven. 



I have written in a hurry, and in a spirit of brotherly love,, 

 therefore forgive any sentence you happen to dislike ; and 

 believe me, spite of any disagreement in some points of the 

 deepest moral interest, your true-hearted old friend, 



A. Sedgwick. 



