1863.] LETTER IN THE 'ATHEN^UM.' 207 



ever, that, as far as I can judge, no theory so well explains 

 or connects these several generalizations (more especially the 

 formation of domestic races in comparison with natural spe- 

 cies, the principles of classification, embryonic resemblance, 

 &c.) as the theory, or hypothesis, or guess, if the reviewer so 

 likes to call it, of Natural Selection. Nor has any other 

 satisfactory explanation been ever offered of the almost per- 

 fect adaptation of all organic beings to each other, an4 to 

 their physical conditions of life. Whether the naturalist 

 believes in the views given by Lamarck, by Geoffroy St. 

 Hilaire, by the author of the 'Vestiges,' by Mr. Wallace and 

 myself, or in any other such view, signifies extremely little in 

 comparison with the admission that species have descended 

 from other species, and have not been created immutable ; 

 for he who admits this as a great truth has a wide field 

 opened to him for further inquiry. I believe, however, from 

 what I see of the progress of opinion on the Continent, and 

 in this country, that the theory of Natural Selection will 

 ultimately be adopted, with, no doubt, many subordinate 

 modifications and improvements. 



CHARLES DARWIN. 



[In the following, he refers to the above letter to the Athe- 

 naum .-] 



C. Darwin to J. D. Hooker. 



Leith Hill Place, 



Saturday [May II, 1863]. 



MY DEAR HOOKER, You give good advice about not 

 writing in newspapers ; I have been gnashing my teeth at my 



own folly ; and this not caused by 's sneers, which 



were so good that I almost enjoyed them. I have written 

 once again to own to a certain extent of truth in what he 

 says, and then if I am ever such a fool again, have no mercy 

 on me. I have read the squib in Public Opinion j * it is capi- 



* Public Opinion, April 23, 1863. A lively account of a police case, in 

 which the quarrels of scientific men are satirised. Mr. John Bull gives 

 evidence that 



