1 8/6.] MR. WALLACE. 229 



the present circumstances.* Good heavens ! how pleased 

 I am ! " 



The letters which follow are of a miscellaneous character 

 and refer principally to the books he read, and to his minor 



writings.] 



C. Darwin to Miss Buckley (Mrs. Fisher}. 



iDown, February n [1876]. 



MY DEAR Miss BUCKLEY, You must let me have the 

 pleasure of saying that I have just finished reading with very 

 great interest your new book.j The idea seems to me a 

 capital one, and as far as I can judge very well carried out. 

 There is much fascination in taking a bird's eye view of all 

 the grand leading steps in the progress of science. At first I 

 regretted that you had not kept each science more separate ; 

 but I dare say you found it impossible. I have hardly any 

 criticisms, except that I think you ought to have introduced 

 Murchison as a great classifier of formations, second only to 

 W. Smith. You have done full justice, and not more than 

 justice, to our dear old master, Lyell. Perhaps a little more 

 ought to have been said about botany, and if you should ever 

 add this, you would find Sachs' * History/ lately published, 

 very good for your purpose. 



You have crowned Wallace and myself with much honour 

 and glory. I heartily congratulate you on having produced 

 so novel and interesting a work, and remain, 



My dear Miss Buckley, yours very faithfully, 



CH. DARWIN. 



* Mr. Gladstone was then in opening of Parliament (Jan. 6). 



office, and the letter must have been f 'A Short History of Natural 



written when he was overwhelmed Science.' 

 with business connected with the 



