316 EVOLUTION [CHAP. IV 



Letter 231 correspondence in style, and spirit, that the article is by 

 Tait, the co-worker with Thomson. 



I was much surprised at the leaves of Drosophyllum being 

 always rolled backwards at their tips, but did not know that 

 it was a unique character. 



Letter 232 To J. D. Hooker. 



Down, Nov. 1 3th [1869]. 



I heard yesterday from a relation who had seen in a 

 newspaper that you were C.B. I must write one line to say 

 " Hurrah," though I wish it had been K.C.B., as it assuredly 

 ought to have been ; but I suppose they look at K.C.B. before 

 C.B. as a dukedom before an earldom. 



We had a very successful week in London, and I was 

 unusually well and saw a good many persons, which, when 

 well, is a great pleasure to me. I had a jolly talk with 

 Huxley, amongst others. And now I am at the same work 

 as before, and shall be for another two months namely, 

 putting ugly sentences rather straighter ; and I am sick of 

 the work, and, as the subject is all on sexual selection, I am 

 weary of everlasting males and females, cocks and hens. 



It is a shame to bother you, but I should like some time 

 to hear about the C.B. affair. 



I have read one or two interesting brochures lately viz., 

 Stirling the Hegelian versus Huxley and protoplasm ; Tylor 

 in Journal of Royal Institute on the survivals of old thought 

 in modern civilisation. 



Farewell. I am as dull as a duck, both male and female. 



To Dr. Hooker, C.B., F.R.S. 

 Dr. Hooker, K.C.B. 

 (This looks better). 



P.S. I hear a good account of Bentham's last address, 1 

 which I am now going to read. 



I find that I have blundered about Bentham's address. 

 Lyell was speaking about one that I read some months ago ; 

 but I read half of it again last night, and shall finish it. 

 Some passages are either new or were not studied enough by 



1 Presidential Address, chiefly on Geographical Distribution, delivered 

 before the Linn. Soc. t May 24th, 1869. 



