t872.1 TROUBLES AT KEW. 345 



may be the result in the action of our wretched Government. 

 On my soul, it is enough to make one turn into an old honest 

 Tory. . . . 



If you answer this, I shall be sorry that I have relieved 

 my feelings by writing. 



Yours affectionately, 



C. DARWIN. 



[The memorial here referred to was addressed to Mr. 

 Gladstone, and was signed by a number of distinguished men, 

 including Sir Charles Lyell, Mr. Bentham, Mr. Huxley, and 

 Sir James Paget. It gives a complete account of the arbi- 

 trary and unjust treatment received by Sir J. D. Hooker at 

 the hands of his official chief, the First Commissioner of 

 Works. The document is published in full in ' Nature ' (July 

 n, 1872), and is well worth studying as an example of the 

 treatment which it is possible for science to receive from offi- 

 cialism. As * Nature ' observes, it is a paper which must be 

 read with the greatest indignation by scientific men in every 

 part of the world, and with shame by all Englishmen. The 

 signatories of the memorial conclude by protesting against 

 the expected consequences of Sir Joseph Hooker's persecu- 

 tion namely his resignation, and the loss of " a man hon- 

 oured for his integrity, beloved for his courtesy and kindli- 

 ness of heart ; and who has spent in the public service not 

 only a stainless but an illustrious life." 



Happily this misfortune was averted, and Sir Joseph was 

 freed from further molestation.] 



C. Darwin to A. R. Wallace. 



Down, August 3 [1872]. 



MY DEAR WALLACE, I hate controversy, chiefly perhaps 

 because I do it badly ; but as Dr. Bree accuses you* of 

 "blundering," I have thought myself bound to send the en- 



* Mr. Wallace had reviewed Dr. Bree's book, ' An Exposition of Fai 

 lacies in the Hypothesis of Mr. Darwin,' in ' Nature,' July 25, 1872, 

 59 



