THE NOTTINGHAM ADDKESS 105 



Huxley made a capital President of Section D. and was 

 very conciliatory, prudent and amusing too. I really heard 

 few papers, and none of any consequence. Wallace's was no 

 doubt the best in our line. 



As to Grove's address, I can quite understand your 

 disappointment at the Species part of it I only wonder he 

 did it so well, for when I have talked the subject with him, 

 he has shown so little appreciation of its difficulties, that I 

 was rather pleased than otherwise that he thought it needful 

 to discuss it. I knew too that he had left it all to me 

 indeed he, on accepting the Presidentship, retained me as 

 champion of the cause. I wished him at the Devil, but felt 

 flattered at the selection, puzzled as I was then, and am now, 

 to make out why he should have thought me worthy of so 

 responsible a post on so critical an occasion. I had always 

 a notion that he looked on me as a very weak vessel, and my 

 branches of Botany as mild child's play. Then too he had 

 no hints or instructions for me. I was ' to back him up ' 

 and ' to carry Darwinism through the ranks of the enemy ' 

 after he had sounded the charge ; and whether or no his 

 ' Continuity ' Address was well received. In short I was 

 a stinkpot, which he was to pitch into the enemies' decks, 

 whether sinking or swimming himself. 



I am so glad you are succeeding with Acropera, I should 

 not like you to be beat by any Orchid. 



The lecture was published in instalments in the Gardeners' 

 Chronicle of January 5, 12, 19, and 26, and afterwards reprinted 

 in pamphlet form. But the lecture was only a stage in the 

 discussion of this crucial question. Further criticisms were 

 sent by Darwin (see M.L. i. 492-4, ii. 1-4), who was the only 

 critic able to detect an anomaly on page 9 of the reprint. 

 Hooker replied : 



I see you ' smell a rat ' in the matter of insular plants that 

 are related to those of [a] distant continent being common. 

 Yes, my beloved friend, let me make a clean breast of it 

 I only found it out after the Lecture was in print ! and by Jingo 

 it has played the very devil with me ever since. I have 

 been waiting ever since to * think it out ' and write to you 

 about it coherently. I thought it best to squeeze it in, any 

 VOL. n H 



