Ill 



CHAPTER XVII. 



INFLUENCE OF DARWIN UPON HOOKER AND ASA GRAY 

 — NATURAL SELECTION AND DESIGN IN NATURE 

 (1860-68). 



Hooker wrote on November 21st, speaking of the 

 " glorious book " in the warmest terms. Later on in 

 the year he wrote again in the same spirit, but 

 speaking of the difficulty he found in assimilating the 

 immense mass of details: "It is the very hardest 

 book to read, to full profits, that I ever tried — it is so 

 cram-full of matter and reasoning." Hooker must, 

 however, have been familiar with the arguments and 

 proofs, and for this reason did not attempt any 

 detailed discussion. It is unnecessary to say more of 

 Hooker's reception of the "Origin." During their 

 long friendship Darwin had discussed the difficulties 

 and the evidences of his theory more fully with him 

 than with any other man ; and, as " a man sharpeneth 

 the countenance of his friend," the influence of 

 Hooker was one of the most potent forces under 

 which Darwin produced the greatest work of his 

 life. 



Many years later, when Hooker was awarded, in 

 1887, the Copley Medal of the Royal Society, review- 

 ing his past experiences and work in his speech 



