1.868.] MR. BENTHAM. 85 



complex than those which must have determined the shape of 

 each fragment at the base of my precipice. What I wanted 

 to show was that, in reference to pre-ordainment, whatever 

 holds good in the formation of a pouter pigeon holds good in 

 the formation of a natural species of pigeon. I cannot see 

 that this is false. If the right variations occurred, and no 

 others, natural selection would be superfluous. A reviewer in 

 an Edinburgh paper, who treats me with profound contempt, 

 says on this subject that Professor Asa Gray could with the 

 greatest ease smash me into little pieces.* 

 Believe me, my dear Gray, 



Your ungrateful but sincere friend, 



CHARLES DARWIN. 



C. Darwin to G. Bentham. 



Down, June 23, 1868. 



MY DEAR MR. BENTHAM, As your address f is somewhat 

 of the nature of a verdict from a judge, I do not know whether 

 it is proper for me to do so, but I must and will thank you 

 for the pleasure which you have given me. I am delighted at 

 what you say about my book. I got so tired of it, that for 

 months together I thought myself a perfect fool for having 

 given up so much time in collecting and observing little facts, 

 but now I do not care if a score of common critics speak as 

 contemptuously of the book as did the Athenaum. I feel 

 justified in this, for I have so complete a reliance on your 

 judgment that I feel certain that I should have bowed to your 



* The Daily Review, April 27, scient creator." The reviewer goes 



1868. My father has given rather on to say that the passage in ques- 



a highly coloured version of the tion is a '''very melancholy one," 



reviewer's remarks : " We doubt and that the theory is the " apotheo- 



not that Professor Asa Gray ... sis of materialism." 



could show that natural selection f Presidential Address to the 



.. . . is simply an instrument in the Linnean Society, 

 hands of an omnipotent and omni- 



