1G4 DARWINIANISM. 



happy in his correspondent, and would perhaps on the 

 whole like to please him 



" Honestly, I feel that it is quite ridiculous my writing you at 

 such length on the subject ; but as you have asked me, I do it 

 gratefully, and write to you as I should to Hooker, who often 

 laughs at me unmercifully, and I am sure you have better reason 

 to do so " (ii. 64). " It is the highest possible gratification to me to 

 think that you have found my book worth reading and reflection ; 

 for you and three others I put down in my own mind as the judges 

 whose opinions I should value most of all " (p. 273). " Permit me to 

 tell you that, before I had even corresponded with you, Hooker had 

 shown me several of your letters (not of a private nature), and these 

 gave me the warmest feeling of respect to you ; and I should indeed 

 be ungrateful if your letters to me, and all I have heard of you, had 

 not strongly enhanced this feeling" (p. 120). "And now I can net 

 resist expressing my sincere admiration of your most clear powers 

 of reasoning. As Hooker lately said in a note to me, you are, more 

 than any one else, the thorough master of the subject. I declare that 

 you know my book as well as I do myself ; and bring to the ques- 

 tion new lines of illustration and argument in a manner which 

 excites my astonishment, and almost my envy. My conclusion is 

 that you have made a mistake in being a botanist, you ought to 

 have been a lawyer " (p. 326). " You will be weary of my praise, 

 but it does strike me as quite admirably argued, and so well and 

 pleasantly written. Your many metaphors are inimitably good. I 

 said in a former letter that you were a lawyer, but I made a gross 

 mistake, I am sure that you are a poet. No, by Jove, I will tell you 

 what you are, a hybrid, a complex cross of lawyer, poet, naturalist, 

 and theologian ! Was there ever such a monster seen before ? " 

 (p. 338). " I remember once telling you a lot of trades which you 

 ought to have followed, but now I am convinced that you are a born 

 reviewer. By Jove, how well and often you hit the nail on the 

 head ! " (p. 373). " It is really almost a pleasure to receive stabs 

 from so smooth, polished, and sharp a dagger as your pen " (p. 386). 

 " If you review the book, I shall be very curious to see what you 

 think of it, for I care more for your judgment than for that of almost 

 any one else " (iii. 293). 



As regards Sir Joseph Hooker it is almost un- 

 necessary to quote, but I may give these few 

 samples 



