i862.] FERTILISATION OF FLOWERS. 447 



C. Darwm to Asa Gray. 



Down, July 2S [1862]. 



My dear Gray, — I hardly know what to thank for first. 

 Your stamps gave infinite satisfaction. I took him * first one 

 lot, and then an hour afterwards another lot. He actually- 

 raised himself on one elbow to look at them. It was the first 

 animation he showed. He said only : "You must thank Pro- 

 fessor Gray awfully." In the evening after a long silence, 

 there came out the oracular sentence : " He is awfully kind." 

 And indeed you are, overworked as you are, to take so much 

 trouble for our poor dear little man. — And now I must begin 

 the " awfuUys " on my own account: what a capital notice 

 you have published on the orchids ! It could not have been 

 better ; but I fear that you overrate it. I am very sure that I 

 had not the least idea that you or any one would approve of it 

 so much. I return your last note for the chance of your pub- 

 lishing any notice on the subject ; but after all perhaps you 

 may not think it worth while ; yet in my judgment several of 

 your facts, especially Platanthera hyperborea, are much too 

 good to be merged in a review. But I have always noticed 

 that you are prodigal in originality in your reviews. . . . 



[Sir Joseph Hooker reviewed the book in the Gardeners* 

 Chronicle, writing in a successful imitation of the style of 

 Lindley, the Editor. My father wrote to Sir Joseph (Nov. 

 12, 1862) : — 



" So you did write the review in the Gardeiiers' Chronicle. 

 Once or twice I doubted whether it was Lindley ; but when 

 I came to a little slap at R. Brown, I doubted no longer. 

 You arch-rogue ! I do not wonder you have deceived others 

 also. Perhaps I am a conceited dog ; but if so, you have 

 much to answer for ; I never received so mach praise, and 

 coming from you I value it much more than from any other." 



With regard to botanical opinion generally, he wrote to 



One of his boys who was ill. 



