1 873.] OF FLOWERS. 2&I 



but I am surprised that you did not more strongly insist on 

 this point. 



I shall be still more surprised if you do not ultimately 

 come to the same belief with me, as shown by so many beau- 

 tiful contrivances, that all plants require, from some unknown 

 cause, to be occasionally fertilized by pollen from a distinct 

 individual. With sincere respect, believe me, my dear Sir, 



Yours very faithfully, 



CH. DARWIN. 



[The following letter refers to the late Hermann Miiller's 

 ' Befruchtung der Blumen/ by far the most valuable of the 

 mass of literature originating in the ' Fertilisation of Orchids.' 

 An English translation, by Prof. D'Arcy Thompson was pub- 

 lished in 1883. My father's " Prefatory Notice " to this work 

 is dated February 6, 1882, and is therefore almost the last of 

 his writings :] 



C. Darwin to H. Miiller. 



Down, May 5, 1873. 



MY PEAR SIR, Owing to all sorts of interruptions and to 

 my reading German so slowly, I have read only to p. 88 of 

 your book ; but I must have the pleasure of telling you how 

 very valuable a work it appears to me. Independently of the 

 many original observations, which of course form the most 

 important part, the work will be of the highest use as a means 

 of reference to all that has been done on the subject. I am 

 fairly astonished at the number of species of insects, the visits 

 of which to different flowers you have recorded. You must 

 have worked in the most indefatigable manner. About half a 

 year ago the editor of ' Nature' suggested that it would be a 

 grand undertaking if a number of naturalists were to do what 

 you have already done on so large a scale with respect to the 

 visits of insects. I have been particularly glad to read your 

 historical sketch, for I had never before seen all the references 



