1 879.] SOCIALISM. 237 



Dr. Scherzer, the author of the ' Voyage of the Novara,' gives 

 a hint of my father's views on this once burning question : 



" What a foolish idea seems to prevail in Germany on the 

 connection between Socialism and Evolution through Natural 

 Selection."] 



C. Darwin to H. N. Moseley? 



Down, January 20, 1879. 



DEAR MOSELEY, I have just received your book, and I 

 declare that never in my life have I seen a dedication which 

 I admired so much.t Of course I am not a fair judge, but I 

 hope that I speak dispassionately, though you have touched 

 me in my very tenderest point, by saying that my old Journal 

 mainly gave you the wish to travel as a Naturalist. I shall 

 begin to read your book this very evening, and am sure that 

 I shall enjoy it much. 



Yours very sincerely, 



CH. DARWIN. 



C. Darwin to H. N. Moseley. 



Down, February 4, 1879. 



DEAR MOSELEY, I have at last read every word of your 

 book, and it has excited in me greater interest than any other 

 scientific book which I have read for a long time. You will 

 perhaps be surprised how slow I have been, but my head 

 prevents me reading except at intervals. If I were asked 

 which parts have interested me most, I should be somewhat 



* Professor of Zoology at Oxford, round the world ; to the develop- 



The book alluded to is Prof. Mose- ment of whose theory I owe the 



ley's ' Notes by a Naturalist on the principal pleasures and interests of 



Challenger? my life, and who has personally 



f " To Charles Darwin, Esquire, given me much kindly encourage- 



LL.D., F.R.S., &c., from the study ment in the prosecution of my 



of whose * Journal of Researches ' I studies, this book is, by permission, 



mainly derived my desire to travel gratefully dedicated." 



