66 THE 'ORIGIN OF SPECIES/ [1860. 



perfect mastery of them. I do not think twenty years too 

 much time to produce such a book in. 



Style clear and good, but now and then wants revision for 

 little matters (p. 97, self-fertilises itself, &c.). 



Then your candour is worth everything to your cause. It 

 is refreshing to find a person with a new theory who frankly 

 confesses that he finds difficulties, insurmountable, at least 

 for the present. I know some people who never have any 

 difficulties to speak of. 



The moment I understood your premisses, I felt sure you 

 had a real foundation to hold on. Well, if one admits your 

 premisses, I do not see how he is to stop short of your con- 

 clusions, as a probable hypothesis at least. 



It naturally happens that my review of your book does 

 not exhibit anything like the full force of the impression the 

 book has made upon me. Under the circumstances I sup- 

 pose I do your theory more good here, by bespeaking for it 

 a fair and favourable consideration, and by standing non- 

 committed as to its full conclusions, than I should if I an- 

 nounced myself a convert ; nor could I say the latter, with 

 truth. 



Well, what seems to me the weakest point in the book is 

 the attempt to account for the formation of organs, the mak- 

 ing of eyes, &c., by natural selection. Some of this reads 

 quite Lamarckian. 



The chapter on Hybridism is not a weak, but a strong 

 chapter. You have done wonders there. But still you have 

 not accounted, as you may be held to account, for divergence 

 up to a certain extent producing increased fertility of the 

 crosses, but carried one short almost imperceptible step more, 

 giving rise to sterility, or reversing the tendency. Very likely 

 you are on the right track ; but you have something to do yet 

 in that department. 



Enough for the present. 



I am not insensible to your compliments, the 



very high compliment which you pay me in valuing my opin- 

 ion. You evidently think more of it than I do, though from 



