1849.] GEOLOGY. 



C. Darwin to J. D. Hooker. 



Malvern, April gth, 1849. 



MY DEAR HOOKER, The very next morning after posting 

 my last letter (I think on 23rd of March), I received your two 

 interesting gossipaceous and geological letters ; and the latter 

 I have since exchanged with Lyell for his. I will write 

 higglety-pigglety just as subjects occur. I saw the Review 

 in the ' Athenaeum,' it was written in an ill-natured spirit ; but 

 the whole virus consisted in saying that there was not novelty 

 enough in your remarks for publication. No one, nowadays, 

 cares for reviews. I may just mention that my Journal got 

 some real good abuse, "presumption," &c. ended with saying 

 that the volume appeared " made up of the scraps and rub- 

 bish of the author's portfolio." I most truly enter into what 

 you say, and quite believe you that you care only for the re- 

 view with respect to your father ; and that this alone would 

 make you like to see extracts from your letters more properly 

 noticed in this same periodical. I have considered to the 

 very best of my judgment whether any portion of your present 

 letters are adapted for the ' Athenaeum ' (in which I have no 

 interest ; the beasts not having even noticed my three geologi- 

 cal volumes which I had sent to them), and I have come 

 to the conclusion it is better not to send them. I feel sure, 

 considering all the circumstances, that without you took pains 

 and wrote with care, a condensed and finished sketch of some 

 striking feature in your travels, it is better not to send any- 

 thing. These two letters are, moreover, rather too geologi- 

 cal for the * Athenaeum/ and almost require woodcuts. On 

 the other hand, there are hardly enough details for a commu- 

 nication to the Geological Society. I have not the smallest 

 doubt that your facts are of the highest interest with regard to 

 glacial action in the Himalaya ; but it struck both Lyell and 

 myself that your evidence ought to have been given more 

 distinctly. . . . 



I have written so lately that I have nothing to say about 

 myself ; my health prevented me going on with a crusade 

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