344 'DESCENT OF MAN* EXPRESSION, [1872 



S. Sedgwick (now Mrs. William Darwin) : " If you can imag- 

 ine me enthusiastic absolutely and unqualifiedly so, without 

 a but or criticism, then think of my last evening's and this 

 morning's talks with Mr. Darwin. ... I was never so worked 

 up in my life, and did not sleep many hours under the hospi- 

 table roof. . . . It would be quite impossible to give by way 

 of report any idea of these talks before and at and after 

 dinner, at breakfast, and at leave-taking ; and yet I dislike 

 the egotism of ' testifying ' like other religious enthusiasts, 

 without any verification, or hint of similar experience."] 



C. Darwin to Herbert Spencer. 



Bassett, Southampton, June 10 [1872]. 



DEAR SPENCER, I dare say you will think me a foolish 

 fellow, but I cannot resist the wish to express my unbounded 

 admiration of your article* in answer to Mr. Martineau. It 

 is, indeed, admirable, and hardly less so your second article 

 on Sociology (which, however, I have not yet finished) : I 

 never believed in the reigning influence of great men on the 

 world's progress ; but if asked why I did not believe, I should 

 have been sorely perplexed to have given a good answer. 

 Every one with eyes to see and ears to hear (the number, I 

 fear, are not many) ought to bow their knee to you, and I 

 for one do. 



Believe me, yours most sincerely, 



C. DARWIN. 



C. Darwin to J. D. Hooker. 



Down, July 12 [1872]. 



MY DEAR HOOKER, I must exhale and express my joy at 

 the way in which the newspapers have taken up your case. 

 I have seen the Times, the Daily News, and the Pall Mall, 

 and hear that others have taken up the case. 



The Memorial has done great good this way, whatever 



* ' Mr. Martineau on Evolution,' by Herbert Spencer, 'Contemporary 

 Review,' July 1872. 



