226 SPREAD OF EVOLUTION. [1866 



after hearing what you say, I feel sure that this is the case, 

 and that your cause will ultimately triumph. My indirect 

 interest in your book has been increased from Mr. Hensleigh 

 Wedgwood, whom you often quote, being my brother-in-law. 



No one could dissent from my views on the modification 

 of species with more courtesy than you do. But from the 

 tenor of your mind I feel an entire and comfortable convic- 

 tion (and which cannot possibly be disturbed) that if your 

 studies led you to attend much to general questions in nat- 

 ural history you would come to the same conclusion that I 

 have done. 



Have you ever read Huxley's little book of Lectures? I 

 would gladly send you a copy if you think you would read it. 



Considering what Geology teaches us, the argument from 

 the supposed immutability of specific types seems to me 

 much the same as if, in a nation which had no old writings, 

 some wise old savage was to say that his language had never 

 changed ; but my metaphor is too long to fill up. 



Pray believe me, dear Sir, yours very sincerely obliged, 



C. DARWIN 



1866. 



[The year 1866 is given in my father's Diary in the fol- 

 lowing words : 



" Continued correcting chapters of ' Domestic Animals/ 



March ist. Began on 4th edition of ' Origin' of 1250 

 copies (received for it ^238), making 7500 copies altogether. 



May iot/1. Finished 'Origin,' except revises, and began 

 going over Chapter XIII. of 'Domestic Animals.' 



Nov. 2\st. Finished * Pangenesis.' 



Dec. 2\st. Finished re-going over all chapters, and sent 

 them to printers. 



Dec. 22nd. Began concluding chapter of book." 



He was in London on two occasions for a week at a time, 

 staying with his brother, and for a few days (May 29th-June 

 2nd) in Surrey ; for the rest of the year he was at Down. 



There seems to have been a gradual mending in his 



