362 SPREAD OF EVOLUTION. [l86l. 



cannot give up equatorial cooling. It explains so much and 

 harmonises with so much. When you write (and much in- 

 terested I shall be in your letter) please say how far floras 

 are generally uniform in generic character from o to 

 25 N. and S. 



Before reading Bates, I had become thoroughly dissatisfied 

 with what I wrote to you. I hope you may get Bates to 

 write in the ' Linnean.' 



Here is a good joke : H. C. Watson (who, I fancy and hope, 

 is going to review the new edition * of the ' Origin ') says that 

 in the first four paragraphs of the introduction, the words " I," 

 " me," " my," occur forty-three times ! I was dimly conscious 

 of the accursed fact. He says it can be explained phreno- 

 logically, which I suppose civilly means, that I am the most 

 egotistically self-sufficient man alive ; perhaps so. I wonder 

 whether he will print this pleasing fact ; it beats hollow the 

 parentheses in Wollaston's writing. 



/ am, my dear Hooker, ever yours, 



C. Darwin. 



P.S. Do not spread this pleasing joke ; it is rather too 

 biting. 



C. Darwin to J. D. Hooker. 



Down, [April] 23? [1861.] 



.... I quite agree with what you say on Lieutenant 

 Hutton's Review f (who he is I know not) ; it struck me as 

 very original. He is one of the very few who see that the 

 change of species cannot be directly proved, and that the 

 doctrine must sink or swim according as it groups and 

 explains phenomena. It is really curious how few judge it in 

 this way, which is clearly the right way. I have been much 



* Third edition of 2000 copies, Hutton, of the Staff College. The 



published in April 1861. ' Geologist' was afterwards merged 



t In the ' Geologist,' 1861, p. 132, in the ' Geological Magazine.' 

 by Lieutenant Frederick Wollaston 



