12 SPREAD OF EVOLUTION. [1863. 



been separately created, and had thrown as much doubt as 

 you like on how far variation and natural selection suffices. 

 I hope to Heaven I am wrong (and from what you say about 

 Whewell it seems so), but I cannot see how your chapters can 

 do more good than an extraordinary able review. I think 

 the Parthenon is right, that you will leave the public in a fog. 

 No doubt they may infer that as you give more space to 

 myself, Wallace, and Hooker, than to Lamarck, you think 

 more of us. But I had always thought that your judgment 

 would have been an epoch in the subject. All that is over 

 with me, and I will only think on the admirable skill with 

 which you have selected the striking points, and explained 

 them. No praise can be too strong, in my opinion, for the 

 inimitable chapter on language in comparison with species. 



p. 505 — A sentence * at the top of the page makes me 

 groan. . . . 



I know you will forgive me for writing with perfect freedom, 

 for you must know how deeply I respect you as my old 

 honoured guide and master. I heartily hope and expect that 

 your book will have gigantic circulation and may do in many 

 ways as much good as it ought to do. I am tired, so no more. 

 I have written so briefly that you will have to guess my 

 meaning. I fear my remarks are hardly worth sending. 

 Farewell, with kindest remembrance to Lady Lyell. 



Ever yours, 

 C. Darwin. 



[Mr. Huxley has quoted (Vol. II. p. 193) some passages from 

 Lyell's letters which show his state of mind at this time. The 

 following passage, from a letter of March nth to my father, 

 is also of much interest : — 



* After speculating on the sudden which separated the highest stage 



appearance of individuals far above of the unprogressive intelligence of 



the average of the human race, the inferior animals from the first 



Lyell asks if such leaps upwards in and lowest form of improvable 



the scale of intellect may not " have reason manifested by man." , 

 cleared at one bound the space 



