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



interest which I have felt, and the great advantage which I 

 have derived, from studying your grand and noble work on 

 Geographical Distribution. Should you be induced to read 

 my volume, I venture to remark that it will be intelligible 

 only by reading the whole straight through, as it is very much 

 condensed. It would be a high gratification to me if any 

 portion interested you. But I am perfectly well aware that 

 you will entirely disagree with the conclusion at which I 

 have arrived. 



You will probably have quite forgotten me ; but many 

 years ago you did me the honour of dining at my house in 

 London to meet M. and Madame Sismondi,* the uncle and 

 aunt of my wife. With sincere respect, I beg to remain. 



Yours, very faithfully, 



Charles Darwin. 



C. Darwin to Hugh Falconer. 



Down, November nth [1859]. 



My dear Falconer, — I have told Murray to send you a 

 copy of my book on the * Origin of Species,' which as yet 

 is only an abstract. 



If you read it, you must read it straight through, other- 

 wise from its extremely condensed state it will be unin- 

 telligrible. 



O 



Lord, how savage you will be, if you read it, and how 

 you will long to crucify me alive ! I fear it will produce no 

 other effect on you ; but if it should stagger you in ever so 

 slight a degree, in this case, I am fully convinced that you 

 will become, year after year, less fixed in your belief in the 

 immutability of species. With this audacious and presump- 

 tuous conviction, 



I remain, my dear Falconer, 



Yours most truly, 



Charles Darwin. 



* Jessie Allen, sister of Mrs Josiah Wedgwood of Maer. 



