210 CHARLES DARWIN. 



a number of the points which had been clearly fore- 

 shadowed, and in some cases even explicitly stated, 

 by Darwin had been independently rediscovered and 

 published as though original. In the editorial notes 

 to Meldola's translation full justice to Darwin has 

 been done in this respect. Darwin's characteristic 

 reply is deeply interesting. 



" Nov 26"' [1878]. " 4 Bryanston St. 



"My dear Sir,— I am very sorry to say that I cannot agree 

 to your suggestion. — An author is never a fit judge of his own 

 work, and I should dislike extremely pointing out when and 

 how Weismann's conclusions and work, agreed with my own. — 

 I feel sure that I ought not to do this, and it would be to me 

 an intolerable task. Nor does it seem to me the proper office 

 of the Preface, which is to show what the book contains and 

 that the contents appear to me valuable. But I can see 

 no objection for you, if you think fit, to write an introduc- 

 tion with remarks or criticisms of any kind. Of course I would 

 be glad to advise you on any point as far as lay in my power, 

 but as a whole I could have nothing to do with it, on the 

 grounds above specified that an author cannot and ought not 

 to attempt to judge his own works or compare them with others. 

 I am sorry to refuse to do anything which you wish. — 



" We return home early to-morrow morning. — Your green 

 silk seems to me a splendid colour, whatever the aesthetics may 

 say.— My dear Sir, yours faithfully, u Qjj Darwin.'' 



The "green silk" referred to some specimens of 

 coal-tar colours sent to show Darwin what modern 

 chemistry had been able to accomplish in the way 

 of artificial colouring matters. They were at that 

 time of particular interest in connection with a 

 discussion which had arisen - in Bryanston Street 



I 



