I879-] SOCIALISM, 413 



directly on the theory of Descent." Prof. Haeckel replied 

 with vigour and ability in his ' Freedom in Science and 

 Teaching' (Eng. Transl. 1879), an essay which must have 

 the sympathy of all lovers of freedom. 



The following passage from a letter (December 26, 1879) 

 to Dr. Scherzer, the author of the ' Voyage of the Novara* 

 gives a hint of my father's views on this once burning ques- 

 tion : 



" What a foolish idea seems to prevail in Germany on the 

 connection between Socialism and Evolution through Natu- 

 ral Selection."] 



C. Darwin to H. N. Moseley* 



Down, January 20, 1879. 



DEAR MOSELEY, I have just received your book, and I 

 declare that never in my life have I seen a dedication which 

 I admired so much.f Of course I am not a fair judge, but I 

 hope that I speak dispassionately, though you have touched 

 me in my very tenderest point, by saying that my old Journal 

 mainly gave you the wish to travel as a Naturalist. I shall 

 begin to read your book this very evening, and am sure that 

 I shall enjoy it much. 



Yours very sincerely, 



CH. DARWIN. 



C. Darwin to H. N. Moseley. 



Down, February 4, 1879. 



DEAR MOSELEY, I have at last read every word of your 

 book, and it has excited in me greater interest than any other 



* Professor of Zoology at Oxford. The book alluded to is Prof. Mose- 

 ley's ' Notes by a Naturalist on the Challenger! 



f " To Charles Darwin, Esquire, LL. D., F. R. S., &c., from the study 

 of whose ' Journal of Researches ' I mainly derived my desire to travel 

 round the world ; to the development of whose theory I owe the princi- 

 pal pleasures and interests of my life, and who has personally given me 

 much kindly encouragement in the prosecution of my studies, this book is, 

 by permission, gratefully dedicated." 



