342 LIFE AT DOWN. ^!TAT. 33-45. [1845. 



made me exclaim out. But I have broken my intention, and 

 so no more on this odious deadly subject. 



There is a favourable, but not strong enough review on you, 

 in the Gardeners' CJironicle. I am sorry to see that Lindley 

 abides by the carbonic acid gas theory. By the way, I was 

 much pleased by Lindley picking out my extinction para- 

 graphs and giving them uncurtailed. To my mind, putting 

 the comparative rarity of existing species in the same category 

 with extinction has removed a great weight ; though of course 

 it does not explain anything, it shows that until we can 

 explain comparative rarity, we ought not to feel any surprise 

 at not explaining extinction. . . . 



I am much pleased to hear of the call for a new edition of 

 the ' Principles ' : what glorious good that work has done. I 

 fear this time you will not be amongst the old rocks ; how I 

 should rejoice to live to see you publish and discover another 

 stage below the Silurian it would be the grandest step pos- 

 sible, I think. I am very glad to hear what progress Bunbury 

 is making in fossil Botany ; there is a fine hiatus for him to 

 fill up in this country. I will certainly call on him this winter. 

 From what little I saw of him, I can quite believe every- 

 thing which you say of his talents. . . . 



C. Darwin to J. D. Hooker. 



Shrewsbury, [1845 ? J 



MY DEAR HOOKER, I have just received your note, which 

 has astonished me, and has most truly grieved me. I never 

 for one minute doubted of your success, for I most erroneously 

 imagined, that merit was sure to gain the day. I feel most sure 

 that the day will come soon, when those who have voted 

 against you, if they have any shame or conscience in them, will 

 be ashamed at having allowed politics to blind their eyes to 

 your qualifications, and those qualifications vouched for by 

 Humboldt and Brown ! Well, those testimonials must be a 



