ch. xiv.] 18611871. 279 



C. D. to E. Haeckel Down, May 21, 186 



Dear Haeckel, Your letter of the 18th has given me 

 great pleasure, for you have received what I said in the most 

 kind and cordial manner. You have in part taken what I 

 said much stronger than I had intended. It never occurred 

 to me for a moment to doubt that your work, with the whole 

 subject so admirably and clearly arranged, as well as forti- 

 fied by so many new facts and arguments, would not advance 

 our common object in the highest degree. All that I think 

 is that you will excite anger, and that anger so completely 

 blinds every one that your arguments would have no chance 

 of influencing those who are already opposed to our views. 

 Moreover, I do not at all like that you, towards whom I feel 

 so much friendship, should unnecessarily make enemies, 

 and there is pain and vexation enough in the world without 

 more being caused. But I repeat that I can feel no doubt 

 that your work will greatly advance our subject, and I 

 heartily wish it could be translated into English, for my 

 own sake and that of others. With respect to what you say 

 about my advancing too strongly objections against my own 

 views, some of my English friends think that I have erred 

 on this side ; but truth compelled me to write what I did, 

 and I am inclined to think it was good policy. The belief 

 in the descent theory is slowly spreading in England,* even 

 amongst those who can give no reason for their belief. No 

 body of men were at first so much opposed to my views as 

 the members of the London Entomological Society, but now 

 I am assured that, with the exception of two or three old 

 men, all the members concur with me to a certain extent. 

 It has been a great disappointment to me that I have never 

 received your long letter written to me from the Canary 

 Islands. I am rejoiced to hear that your tour, which seems 

 to have been a most interesting one, has done your health 

 much good. 



.... I am very glad to hear that there is some chance 

 of your visiting England this autumn, and all in this house 

 will be delighted to see you here. 



Believe me, my dear Haeckel, yours very sincerely. 



* In October, 1867, he wrote to Mr. Wallace : " Mr. "Warrington has lately 

 read an excellent and spirited abstract of the Origin before the Victoria Insti- 

 tute, and as this is a most orthodox body, he hasgained the name of the Dev- 

 il's Advocate. The discussion which followed during three consecutive 

 meetings is very rich from the nonsense talked." 

 19 



