1 866.] accuracy. 55 



dressing-gown. As nearly as I can remember, the following 

 are the words he used : — 



" ' Since I went to bed I have been thinking over our con- 

 versation in the drawing-room, and it has just occurred to me 

 that I was wrong in telling you I felt most of the sublime 

 when on the top of the Cordillera ; I am quite sure that I 

 felt it even more when in the forests of Brazil. I thought it 

 best to come and tell you this at once in case I should be 

 putting you wrong. I am sure now that I felt most sublime 

 in the forests.' 



" This was all he had come' to say, and it was evident 

 that he had come to do so, because he thought that the fact 

 of his feeling ' most sublime in forests ' was more in accord- 

 ance with the hypothesis which we had been discussing, than 

 the fact which he had previously stated. Now, as no one knew 

 better than Mr. Darwin the difference between a speculation 

 and a fact, I thought this little exhibition of scientific con- 

 scientiousness very noteworthy, where the only question 

 concerned was of so highly speculative a character. I should 

 not have been so much impressed if he had thought that by 

 his temporary failure of memory he had put me on a wrong 

 scent in any matter of fact, although even in such a case he 

 is the only man I ever knew who would care to get out of 

 bed at such a time of night in order to make the correction 

 immediately, instead of waiting till next morning. But as 

 the correction only had reference to a flimsy hypothesis, 

 I certainly was very much impressed by this display of 

 character."] 



C. Darwin to J. D. Hooker, 



Down, December 10 [1866]. 



.... I have now read the last No. of H. Spencer.* I do 



not know whether to think it better than the previous number, 



but it is wonderfully clever, and I dare say mostly true. I feel 



rather mean when I read him : I could bear, and rather enjoy 



* ' Principles of Biology.' 



