1860.] THE EDINBURGH REVIEW.' 



107 



How disingenuous to say that we are called on to accept 

 the theory, from the imperfection of the geological record, 

 when I over and over again [say] how grave a difficulty 

 the imperfection offers p. 530."] 



C. Darwin to J. D. Hooker. 



Down, May soth [1860], 



MY DEAR HOOKER, I return Harvey's letter, I have been 

 very glad to see the reason why he has not read your Essay. 

 I feared it was bigotry, and I am glad to see that he goes a 

 little way (very much further than I supposed) with us. ... 



I was not sorry for a natural opportunity of writing to 

 Harvey, just to show that I was not piqued at his turning 

 me and my book into ridicule,* not that I think it was a pro- 

 ceeding which I deserved, or worthy of him. It delights me 

 that you are interested in watching the progress of opinion 

 on the change of Species ; I feared that you were weary of 

 the subject ; and therefore did not send A. Gray's letters. 

 The battle rages furiously in the United States. Gray 

 says he was preparing a speech, which would take i \ hours to 

 deliver, and which he " fondly, hoped would be a stunner." 

 He is fighting splendidly, and there seems to have been 

 many discussions with Agassiz and others at the meetings. 

 Agassiz pities me much at being so deluded. As for the 

 progress of opinion, I clearly see that it will be excessively 

 slow, almost as slow as the change of species. ... I am 

 getting wearied at the storm of hostile reviews and hardly any 

 useful. ... 



* A " serio-comic squib," read before the ' Dublin University Zoologi- 

 cal and Botanical Association,' Feb. 17, 1860, and privately printed. My 

 father's presentation copy is inscribed, " With the writer's repentance, Oct. 

 I860/' 



