134 'DESCENT OF MAN' EXPRESSION. [1871. 



began to write it. Thus he wrote to Dr. Asa Gray, April 15, 

 1867: 



" I have been lately getting up and looking over my old 

 notes on Expression, and fear that I shall not make so much 

 of my hobby-horse as I thought I could ; nevertheless, it 

 seems to me a curious subject which has been strangely 

 neglected." 



It should, however, be remembered that the subject had 

 been before his mind, more or less, from 1837 or ^38, as 

 I judge from entries in his early note-books. It was in 

 December 1839, that he began to make observations on 

 children. 



The work required much correspondence, not only with 

 missionaries and others living among savages, to whom he 

 sent his printed queries, but with physiologists and phy- 

 sicians. He obtained much information from Professor 

 Donders, Sir W. Bowman, Sir James Paget, Dr. W. Ogle, 

 Dr. Crichtori Browne, as well as from other observers. 



The first letter refers to the ' Descent of Man.'] 



C. Darwin to A. R. Wallace. 



Down, January 30 [1871]. 



MY DEAR WALLACE, Your note * has given me very great 

 pleasure, chiefly because I was so anxious not to treat you 



* In the note referred to, dated Wallace maintains that 'natural 



January 27, Mr. Wallace wrote : selection could only have endowed 



" Many thanks for your first volume the savage with a brain a little 



which I have just finished reading superior to that of an ape.' " In 



through with the greatest pleasure the above quoted letter Mr. Wallace 



and interest ; and I have also to wrote : " Your chapters on ' Man ' 



thank you for the great tenderness are of intense interest, but as touch- 



with which you have treated me ing my special heresy not as yet 



and my heresies." altogether convincing, though of 



The heresy is the limitation of course I fully agree with every word 



natural selection as applied to man. and every argument which goes to 



My father wrote (' Descent of prove the evolution or development 



Man,' i. p. 137): " I cannot there- of man out of a lower form." 

 fore understand how it is that Mr. 



