26 SPREAD OF EVOLUTION. [1863. 



C. Darwin to G. Bentham. 



Down, June 19 [1863]. 



MY DEAR Bentham, — I have been extremely much pleased 

 and interested by your address, which you kindly sent me. 

 It seems to be excellently done, with as much judicial calm- 

 ness and impartiality as the Lord Chancellor could have 

 shown. But whether the " immutable " gentlemen would 

 agree with the impartiality may be doubted, there is too 

 much kindness shown towards me, Hooker, and others, they 

 might say. Moreover I verily believe that your address, 

 written as it is, will do more to shake the unshaken and bring 

 on those leaning to our side, than anything written directly in 

 favour of transmutation. I can hardly tell why it is, but your 

 address has pleased me as much as Lyell's book disappointed 

 me, that is, the part on species, though so cleverly written. I 

 agree with all your remarks on the reviewers. By the way, 

 Lecoq* is a believer in the change of species. I, for one, can 

 conscientiously declare that I never feel surprised at any one 

 sticking to the belief of immutability ; though I am often not 

 a little surprised at the arguments advanced on this side. I 

 remember too well my endless oscillations of doubt and diffi- 

 culty. It is to me really laughable, when I think of the years 

 which elapsed before I saw what I believe to be the explana- 

 tion of some parts of the case ; I believe it was fifteen years 

 after I began before I saw the meaning and cause of the 

 divergence of the descendants of any one pair. You pay me 

 some most elegant and pleasing compliments. There is much 

 in your address which has pleased me much, especially your 

 remarks on various naturalists. I am so glad that you have 

 alluded so honourably to Pasteur. I have just read over this 

 note ; it does not express strongly enough the interest which 

 I have felt in reading your address. You have done, I 



* Author of * Geographic Botanique.' 9 vols. 1854-58. 



