1859-1863] AN ST ED I75 



Dr. Freke has sent me his paper, which is far beyond my Letter 116 

 scope — something like the capital quiz in the Anti-Jacobin on 

 my grandfather, which was quoted in the Quarterly Review. 



To D. T. Ansted. 1 Letter 117 



The following letter was published in Professor Meldola's presidential 

 address to the Entomological Society, 1897, and to him we are indebted 

 for a copy. 



15, Marine Parade, Eastbourne, Oct. 27th [1S60]. 



As I am away from home on account of my daughter's 

 health, I do not know your address, and fly this at random, 

 and it is of very little consequence if it never reaches you. 



I have just been reading the greater part of your 

 Geological Gossip, and have found part very interesting ; but 

 I want to express my admiration at the clear and correct 

 manner in which you have given a sketch of Natural 

 Selection. You will think this very slight praise ; but I 

 declare that the majority of readers seem utterly incapable 

 of comprehending my long argument. Some of the re- 

 viewers, who have servilely stuck to my illustrations "and 

 almost to my words, have been correct, but extraordinarily 

 few others have succeeded. I can see plainly, by your new 

 illustrations and manner and order of putting the case, that 

 you thoroughly comprehend the subject. I assure you this 

 is most gratifying to me, and it is the sole way in which the 

 public can be indoctrinated. I am often in despair in making 

 the generality of naturalists even comprehend me. Intelligent 

 men who are not naturalists and have not a bigoted idea of 

 the term species, show more clearness of mind. I think that 

 you have done the subject a real service, and I sincerely 

 thank you. No doubt there will be much error found in my 

 book, but I have great confidence that the main view will be, 

 in time, found correct ; for I find, without exception, that 

 those naturalists who went at first one inch with me now go 

 a foot or yard with me. 



This note obviously requires no answer. 



the self-evolving powers of nature."— Prof. Baden Powell's "Study of 

 the Evidences of Christianity," Essays and Reviews, 7th edit., 1861 

 (PP- 138, 139). 



1 David Thomas Ansted, F.R.S. (1814-80), Fellow of Jesus College, 

 Cambridge, Professor of Geology at King's College, London, author of 

 several papers and books on geological subjects (see Quart. Journ. Geo/. 

 Soc, Vol. XXXVII., p. 43). 



