1869.] MR. WALLACE ON LYELL. 1 15 



which characterize every work which our author has produced, 

 we shall be convinced that so great a change was not decided 

 on without long and anxious deliberation, and that the views 

 now adopted must indeed be supported by arguments of over- 

 whelming force. If for no other reason than that Sir Charles 

 Lyell in his tenth edition has adopted it, the theory of Mr. 

 Darwin deserves an attentive and respectful consideration 

 from every earnest seeker after truth."] 



C. Darwin to A. R. Wallace. 



Down, April 14, 1869. 



MY DEAR WALLACE, I have been wonderfully interested 

 by your article, and I should think Lyell will be much 

 gratified by it. I declare if I had been editor, and had the 

 power of directing you, I should have selected for discussion 

 the very points which you have chosen. I have often said to 

 younger geologists (for I began in the year 1830) that they 

 did not know what a revolution Lyell had effected ; neverthe- 

 less, your extracts from Cuvier have quite astonished me. 

 Though not able really to judge, I am inclined to put more 

 confidence in Groll than you seem to do ; but I have been 

 much struck by many of your remarks on degradation. 

 Thomson's views of the recent age of the world have been for 

 some time one of my sorest troubles, and so I have been glad 

 to read what you say. Your exposition of Natural Selection 

 seems to me inimitably good ; there never lived a better 

 expounder than you. I was also much pleased at your 

 discussing the difference between our views and Lamarck's. 

 One sometimes sees the odious expression, " Justice to myself 

 compels me to say," &c., but you are the only man I ever 

 heard of who persistently does himself an injustice, and never 

 demands justice. Indeed, you ought in the review to have 

 alluded to your paper in the 'Linnean Journal,' and I feel 

 sure all our friends will agree in this. But you cannot 



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