392 E VOLUTION [Chap. V 



Letter 303 organisms, or the cause of their variability, is the most 

 important of all subjects for the future. For some few years 

 I have been thinking of commencing a set of experiments on 

 plants, for they almost invariably vary when cultivated. 

 I fancy that I see my way with the aid of continued self- 

 fertilisation. But I am too old, and have not strength enough. 

 Nevertheless the hope occasionally revives. 



Finally let me thank you for the very kind manner in 

 which you often refer to my works, and for the even still 

 kinder manner in which you disagree with me. 



With cordial thanks for the pleasure and instruction which 

 I have derived from your book, etc. 



Letter 304 To Count Saporta. 



Down, Feb. 13th, 1881. 



I received a week or two ago the work which you and 

 Prof. Marion have been so kind as to send me. 1 When it 

 arrived I was much engaged, and this must be my excuse for 

 not having sooner thanked you for it, and it will likewise 

 account for my having as yet read only the preface. 



But I now look forward with great pleasure to reading the 

 whole immediately. If I then have any remarks worth 

 sending, which is not very probable, I will write again. I am 

 greatly pleased to see how boldly you express your belief in 

 evolution, in the preface. I have sometimes thought that 

 some of your countrymen have been a little timid in pub- 

 lishing their belief on this head, and have thus failed in aiding 

 a good cause. 



Letter 305 To R. G. Whiteman. 



Down, May 5th, 1881. 

 In the first edition of the Origin, after the sentence ending 

 with the words "... insects in the water," I added the 

 following sentence : — 



" Even in so extreme a case as this, if the supply of insects 

 were constant, and if better adapted competitors did not 

 already exist in the country, I can sec no difficulty in a race 

 of bears being rendered by Natural Selection more and more 

 aquatic in their structures and habits, with larger and larger 



' Probably IJ Evolution du Rlgne vvgt'tal, I. Cryptogames, Saporta & 

 Marion, Paris, 1881. 



