4 o2 POPULAR SCIENCE MONTHLY. 



and was interested by it. I really believe the facts of the order de- 

 scribed by Chambers, in S. America, which I have described in my 

 Geolog. volume. This leads me to ask you (as I can not doubt that 

 you will have much geological weight in N. America) to look to a dis- 

 cussion at p. 135 in that volume on the importance of subsidence to 

 the formation of deposits, which are to last to a distant age. This 

 view strikes me as of some importance. 



When I meet a very good-natured man I have that degree of bad- 

 ness of disposition in me that I always endeavour to take advantage of 

 him; therefore I am going to mention some desiderata, which if you 

 can supply I shall be very grateful, but if not no answer will be re- 

 quired. 



Thank you for your Conspectus Crust., but I am sorry to say I 

 am not worthy of it, though I have always thought the Crustacea a 

 beautiful subject. 



To J. D. Dana. 



Down, July 30th (1860). 



I received several weeks ago your note telling me that you could 

 not visit England, which I sincerely regretted, as I should most heartily 

 have liked to have made your personal acquaintance. You gave me 

 an improved, but not very good, account of your health. I should at 

 some time be grateful for a line to tell me how you are. We have had 

 a miserable summer, owing to a terribly long and severe illness of my 

 eldest girl, who improves slightly but is still in a precarious condition. 

 I have been able to do nothing in science of late. My kind friend Asa 

 Gray often writes to me and tells me of the warm discussions on the 

 Origin of Species in the United States. Whenever you are strong 

 enough to read it, I know you will be dead against me, but I know 

 equally well that your opposition will be liberal and philosophical. 

 And this is a good deal more than I can say of all my opponents in this 

 country. I have not yet seen Agassiz's attack, but I hope to find it 

 at home when I return in a few days, for I have been for several weeks 

 away from home on my daughter's account. Prof. Silliman sent me 

 an extremely kind message by Asa Gray that your Journal would be 

 open to a reply by me. I cannot decide till I see it, but on principle 

 I have resolved to avoid answering anything, as it consumes much time, 

 often temper, and I have said my say in the Origin. No one person 

 understands my views and has defended them so well as A. Gray, 

 though he does not by any means go all the way with me. There was 

 much discussion on the subject at the British Association at Oxford, 

 and I had many defenders, and my side seems (for I was not there) 

 almost to have got the best of the battle. Your correspondent and my 

 neighbour, J. Lubbock, goes on working at such spare time as he has. 



