i860.] reviews. 103 



branches of natural science. ... I think geologists are more 

 easily converted than simple naturalists, because more accus- 

 tomed to reasoning. Before telling you about the progress 

 of opinion on the subject, you must let me say how I admire 

 the generous manner in which you speak of my book. Most 

 persons would in your position have felt some envy or jeal- 

 ousy. How nobly free you seem to be of this common failing 

 of mankind. But you speak far too modestly of yourself. 

 You would, if you had my leisure, have done the work just as ^ 



well, perhaps better, than I have done it 1 



. . . Agassiz sends me a personal civil message, but inces- 

 santly attacks me ; but Asa Gray fights like a hero in defence. 

 Lyell keeps as firm as a tower, and this Autumn will publish 

 on the ' Geological History of Man,' and will then declare his 

 conversion, which now is universally known. I hope that 

 you have received Hooker's splendid essay. . . . Yesterday 

 I heard from Lyell that a German, Dr. Schaaffhausen,* has 

 sent him a pamphlet published some years ago, in which the 

 same view is nearly anticipated ; but I have not yet seen this 

 pamphlet. My brother, who is a very sagacious man, always 

 said, "you will find that some one will have been before you." 

 1 am at work at my larger work, which I shall publish in a 

 separate volume. But from ill-health and swarms of letters, 

 I get on very very slowly. I hope that I shall not have 

 wearied you with these details. With sincere thanks for your 

 letter, and with most deeply felt wishes for your success in 

 science, and in every way, believe me, 



Your sincere well-wisher, 



C. Darwin. 



* Hermann Schaaffhausen ' Ueber Bestandigkeit und Umwandlung der 

 Arten.' Verhandl. d. Naturhist. Vereins, Bonn, 1853. See 'Origin,' His- 

 torical Sketch. 



