1863.] 'ANTIQUITY OF MAN.' 9 



he had said openly that he believed in change of species, and 

 as a consequence that man was derived from some Quadru- 

 manous animal, it would have been very proper to have 

 discussed by compilation the differences in the most important 

 organ, viz. the brain. As it is, the chapter seems to me to 

 come in rather by the head and shoulders. I do not think 

 (but then I am as prejudiced as Falconer and Huxley, or more 

 so) that it is too severe ; it struck me as given with judicial 

 force. It might perhaps be said with truth that he had no 

 business to judge on a subject on which he knows nothing ; 

 but compilers must do this to a certain extent. (You know I 

 value and rank high compilers, being one myself!) I have 

 taken you at your word, and scribbled at great length. If I 

 get the Athenceum to-morrow, I will add my impression of 

 Owen's letter. 



. . . The Lyells are coming here on Sunday evening to 

 stay till Wednesday. I dread it, but I must say how much 

 disappointed I am that he has not spoken out on species, still 

 less on man. And the best of the joke is that he thinks he 

 has acted with the courage of a martyr of old. I hope I may 

 have taken an exaggerated view of his timidity, and shall 

 particularly be glad of your opinion on this head.* When 

 I got his book I turned over the pages, and saw he had dis- 

 cussed the subject of species, and said that I thought he would 

 do more to convert the public than all of us, and now (which 

 makes the case worse for me) I must, in common honesty, 

 retract. I wish to Heaven he had said not a word on the 

 subject. 



Wednesday morning: I have read the Athenceum. I do 

 not think Lyell will be nearly so much annoyed as you 

 expect. The concluding sentence is no doubt very stinging. 



* On this subject my father I am to hear that I have not been 



wrote to Sir Joseph Hooker : " Cor- unjust about the species-question to- 



dial thanks for your deeply inter- wards Lyell. I feared I had been 



esting letters about Lyell, Owen, unreasonable." 

 and Co. I cannot say how glad 



