1862.] FERTILISATION OF FLOWERS. 447 



C. Darwin to Asa Gray. 



Down, July 28 [1862]. 



MY DEAR GRAY, I hardly know what to thank for first. 

 Your stamps gave infinite satisfaction. I took him * first one 

 lot, and then an hour afterwards another lot. He actually 

 raised himself on one elbow to look at them. It was the first 

 animation he showed. He said only: "You must thank Pro- 

 fessor Gray awfully." In the evening after a long silence, 

 there came out the oracular sentence : " He is awfully kind." 

 And indeed you are, overworked as you are, to take so much 

 trouble for our poor dear little man. And now I must begin 

 the "awfullys" on my own account: what a capital notice 

 you have published on the orchids ! It could not have been 

 better ; but I fear that you overrate it. I am very sure that I 

 had not the least idea that you or any one would approve of it 

 so much. I return your last note for the chance of your pub- 

 lishing any notice on the subject ; but after all perhaps you 

 may not think it worth while ; yet in my judgment several of 

 your facts, especially Platanthera hyperborea, are much too 

 good to be merged in a review. But I have always noticed 

 that you are prodigal in originality in your reviews. . . . 



[Sir Joseph Hooker reviewed the book in the Gardeners' 

 Chronicle, writing in a successful imitation of the style of 

 Lindley, the Editor. My father wrote to Sir Joseph (Nov. 

 12, 1862): 



" So you did write the review in the Gardeners' Chronicle. 

 Once or twice I doubted whether it was Lindley ; but when 

 I came to a little slap at R. Brown, I doubted no longer. 

 You arch-rogue ! I do not wonder you have deceived others 

 also. Perhaps I am a conceited dog ; but if so, you have 

 much to answer for ; I never received so much praise, and 

 coming from you I value it much more than from any other." 



With regard to botanical opinion generally, he wrote to 



* One of his boys who was ill. 



