CHAP. XI.] AN EPISODE. ^33 



therefore but be interesting to many to see the sort of defen 

 sive arguments upon which Mr. Darwin relies. (2) I attach a 

 very special value to the opinions formed in the United 

 States. I do so on account of the warm esteem I feel for 

 Americans I have had the good fortune to meet, and because 

 look forward to most important philosophical progress 

 through the people of the United States. I am therefore 

 anxious that my reply to the one hostile critic I have there 

 found should be as widely diffused as possible. 



At the same time this republication necessarily entails 

 considerable repetition, both of remarks and quota- Ma 

 tions, and on this account this chapter may be Stover 

 passed over by any of my readers without detriment *** 

 to the course of the argument followed out in the ^S 1 

 other chapters. Only such persons need read it as are inter 

 ested m the Darwinian controversy, or who feel yet undecided 

 as to &quot;natural selection,&quot; or who are curious to consider the 

 points raised by Mr. Darwin s selected&quot; champion. 

 My reply was as follows : 



&quot;The rapid growth of physical science and the constant 

 publication of ever-new observations, make such Mr. chaun- 

 demands on the time of naturalists, that an author StoKf* 

 actively engaged upon a subject covering the whole field of 

 biology cannot be expected to reply directly to critics, unless 

 under very exceptional circumstances. 



&quot; I have to thank Mr. Chauncey Wright for havino- been 

 so obliging as to devote much space, and necessarily! con 

 siderable portion of his valuable time, to an examination of 

 my recent work, the &amp;lt; Genesis of Species. Nevertheless I 

 must confess that, with all respect for his conspicuous talents 

 and for his deserved reputation, I should not have undertaken 

 the following few words of explanation but for his paper s 

 wide circulation in England and elsewhere by Mr. Darwin. 



* Mr. Wright s criticism touches upon so many matters of 

 detail, that it is not altogether easy to ascertain his main 

 objects. Having, however, considered his remarks with that 

 care which my esteem for his opinions makes incumbent on 



