i86i.] CONDITIONS OF LIFE. l6l 



to me, and have looked through your various publications), 

 I consider one of the highest, perhaps the very highest, com- 

 pliments which I have received. I live so solitary a life that 

 I do not often hear what goes on, and I should much like to 

 know in what work you have published some remarks on my 

 book. I take a deep interest in the subject, and I hope not 

 simply an egotistical interest ; therefore you may believe how 

 much your letter has gratified me ; I am perfectly contented 

 if any one will fairly consider the subject, whether or not he 

 fully or only very slightly agrees with me. Pray do not 

 think that I feel the least surprise at your demurring to a 

 ready acceptance ; in fact, I should not much respect anyone's 

 judgment who did so : that is, if I may judge others from 

 the long time which it has taken me to go round. Each 

 stage of belief cost me years. The difficulties are, as you say, 

 many and very great; but the more I reflect, the more they 

 seem to me to be due to our underestimating our ignorance. 

 I belong so much to old times that I find that I weigh 

 the difficulties from the imperfection of the geological 

 record, heavier than some of the younger men. I find, to 

 my astonishment and joy, that such good men as Ramsay, 

 Jukes, Geikie, and one old worker, Lyell, do not think that 

 I have in the least exaggerated the imperfection of the 

 record.* If my views ever are proved true, our current geo- 

 logical views will have to be considerably modified. My 

 greatest trouble is, not being able to weigh the direct effects 



* Professor Sedgwick treated this part of the * Origin of Species ' very 

 differently, as might have been expected from his vehement objection to 

 Evolution in general. In the article in the Spcc^afor of March. 24, i860, 

 already noticed, Sedgwick wrote : " We know the complicated organic 

 phenomena of the Mesozoic (or Oolitic) period. It defies the trasmuta- 

 tionist at every step. Oh I but the document, says Darwin, is a fragment ; 

 I will interpolate long periods to account for all the changes, I say, in re- 

 ply, if you deny my conclusion, grounded on positive evidence, I toss back 

 your conclusion, derived from negative evidence, — the inflated cushion on 

 which you try to bolster up the defects of your hypothesis." [The punc- 

 tuation of the imaginary dialogue is slightly altered from the original, 

 which is obscure in one place.] 



