1863.] 'ANTIQUITY OF MAN.' II 



tion of species ; you will see that he has an admirable chapter 

 on this. . . . 



I read Cairns's excellent Lecture,* which shows so well 

 how your quarrel arose from Slavery. It made me for a time 

 wish honestly for the North ; but I could never help, though I 

 tried, all the time thinking how we should be bullied and 

 forced into a war by you, when you were triumphant. But I 

 do most truly think it dreadful that the South, with its 

 accursed slavery, should triumph, and spread the evil. I think 

 if I had power, which, thank God, I have not, I would let you 

 conquer the border States, and all west of the Mississippi, and 

 then force you to acknowledge the cotton States. For do 

 you not now begin to doubt whether you can conquer and 

 hold them ? I have inflicted a long tirade on you. 



The Times is getting more detestable (but that is too weak 

 a word) than ever. My good wife wishes to give it up, but I I 

 tell her that is a pitch of heroism to which only a woman is j 

 equal. To give up the " Bloody Old Times!' as Cobbett 

 used to call it, would be to give up meat, drink and air. 

 Farewell, my dear Gray, 



Yours most truly, 



C. DARWIN. 



C. Darwin to C. Lyell. 



Down, March 6, [1863]. 



... I have been of course deeply interested by your book.f 

 I have hardly any remarks worth sending, but will scribble a 

 little on what most interested me. But I will first get out 

 what I hate saying, viz. that I have been greatly disappointed 

 that you have not given judgment and spoken fairly out what 

 you think about the derivation of species. I should have 

 been contented if you had boldly said that species have not 



* Prof. J. E. Cairns, 'The Slave American contest.' 1862. 

 Power, &c. : an attempt to explain f 'Antiquity of Man.' 

 the real issues involved in the 



