I875-] 'ANIMALS AND PLANTS,' SECOND EDITION. 195 



points out that, in Mantegazza's ' Elementi di Igiene,' the 

 theory of Pangenesis was clearly forestalled. 



In connection with this subject, a letter of my father's to 

 1 Nature' (April 27, 1871) should be mentioned. A paper by 

 Mr. Galton had been read before the Royal Society (March 

 30, 1 871) in which were described experiments, on intertrans- 

 fusion of blood, designed to test the truth of the hypothesis 

 •of pangenesis. My father, while giving all due credit to Mr. 

 Galton for his ingenious experiments, does not allow that 

 pangenesis has " as yet received its death-blow, though from 

 presenting so many vulnerable points its life is always in 

 jeopardy." 



He seems to have found the work of correcting very 

 wearisome, for he wrote : — 



" I have no news about myself, as I am merely slaving over 

 the sickening work of preparing new editions. I wish I could 

 get a touch of poor Lyell's feelings, that it was delightful to 

 improve a sentence, like a painter improving a picture." 



The feeling of effort or strain over this piece of work, is 

 shown in a letter to Professor Haeckel : — 



" What I shall do in future if I live, Heaven only knows ; 

 I ought perhaps to avoid general and large subjects, as too 

 difficult for me with my advancing years, and I suppose 

 enfeebled brain." 



At the end of March, in this year, the portrait for which he 

 was sitting to Mr. Ouless was finished. He felt the sittings a 

 great fatigue, in spite of Mr. Ouless's considerate desire to 

 spare him as far as was possible. In a letter to Sir J. D. 

 Hooker he wrote, " I look a very venerable, acute, melan- 

 choly old dog ; whether I really look so I do not know." 

 The picture is in the possession of the family, and is known 

 to many through M. Rajon's etching. Mr. Ouless's portrait 

 is, in my opinion, the finest representation of my father that 

 has been produced. 



The following letter refers to the death of Sir Charles Lyell, 



O 2 



