246 MISCELLANEA — (continued). [188 1. 



to myself your remarks on one point (I hope in some degree 

 correctly) in the following fashion : — 



Any character of an ancient, generalised, or intermediate 

 form may, and often does, re-appear in its descendants, after 

 countless generations, and this explains the extraordinarily 

 complicated affinities of existing groups. This idea seems 

 to me to throw a flood of light on the lines, sometimes used 

 to represent affinities, which radiate in all directions, often to 

 very distant sub-groups, — a difficulty which has haunted me 

 for half a century. A strong case could be made out in favour 

 of believing in such reversion after immense intervals of time. 

 I wish the idea had been put into my head in old days, for I 

 shall never again write on difficult subjects, as I have seen too 

 many cases of old men becoming feeble in their minds, without 

 being in the least conscious of it. If I have interpreted your 

 ideas at all correctly, I hope that you will re-urge, on any fitting 

 occasion, your view. I have mentioned it to a few persons 

 capable of judging, and it seemed quite new to them. I beg 

 you to forgive the proverbial garrulity of old age. 



C. D." 



[The following letter refers to Sir J. D. Hooker's Geo- 

 graphical address at the York Meeting (188 1) of the British 

 Association : ] 



C. Darwin to J. D. Hooker, 



Down, August 6, 1881. 



My Dear HOOKER, — For Heaven's sake never speak of 

 boring me, as it would be the greatest pleasure to aid you in 

 the slightest degree and your letter has interested me ex- 

 ceedingly. I will go through your points seriatim, but I have 

 never attended much to the history of any subject, and my 

 memory has become atrociously bad. It will therefore be a 

 mere chance whether any of my remarks are of any use. 



