21 8 SPREAD OF EVOLUTION. [1865. 



made his improved shorthorns, or pouter pigeons, or ban- 

 tams. And I could quote still stronger expressions used by- 

 agriculturists. Man does make his artificial breeds, for his 

 selective power is of such importance relatively to that of the 

 slight spontaneous variations. But no one will attack breeders 

 for using such expressions, and the rising generation will not 

 blame me. 



Many thanks for your offer of sending me the 'Ele- 

 ments.' * I hope to read it all, but unfortunately reading 

 makes my head whiz more than anything else. I am able 

 most days to work for two or three hours, and this makes all 

 the difference in my happiness. I have resolved not to be 

 tempted astray, and to publish nothing till my volume on 

 Variation is completed. You gave me excellent advice about 

 the footnotes in my Dog chapter, but their alteration gave 

 me infinite trouble, and I often wished all the dogs, and I 

 fear sometimes you yourself, in the nether regions. 



We (dictator and writer) send our best love to Lady Lyell. 



Yours afi"ectionately, 



Charles Darwin. 



P.S. — If ever you should speak with the Duke on the sub- 

 ject, please say how much interested I was with his address. 



[In his autobiographical sketch my father has remarked 

 (p. ;^6) that owing to certain early memories he felt the hon- 

 our of being elected to the Royal and Royal Medical Socie- 

 ties of Edinburgh " more than any similar honour." The 

 following extract from a letter to Sir Joseph Hooker refers 

 to his election to the former of these societies. The latter 

 part of the extract refers to the Berlin Academy, to which he 

 was elected in 1878 : — 



" Here is a really curious thing, considering that Brewster 

 is President and Balfour Secretary. I have been elected 

 Honorary Member of the Royal Society of Edinburgh. And 



* Sixth edition in one volume. 



