Ch. XII] OCTOBER 1859, TO DECEMBER 1859. 221 



stupid not to have more fully followed it in MS. Lyell told 

 me of his criticisms. I did not appreciate them all, and there 

 are many little matters I hope one day to talk over with you. I 

 saw a highly flattering notice in the English Churchman, short and 

 not at all entering into discussion, but praising you and your 

 book, and talking patronizingly of the doctrine ! . . . Bentham 

 and Henslow will still shake their heads, I fancy. . . . 

 Ever yours affectionately. 



C. D. to T. H. Euxley. Down, Dec. 28th [1859]. 



My dear Huxley, — Yesterday evening, when I read the 

 Times of a previous day, I was amazed to find a splendid essay 

 and roview of me. Who can the author be ? I am intensely 

 curious. It included an eulogium of me which quite touched 

 me, though I am not vain enough to think it all deserved. The 

 author is a literary man, and German scholar. He has read my 

 book very attentively ; but, what is very remarkable, it seems 

 that he is a profound naturalist. He knows my Barnacle-book, 

 and appreciates it too highly. Lastly, he writes and thinks 

 with quite uncommon force and clearness ; and what is even 

 still rarer, his writing is seasoned with most pleasant wit. We 

 all laughed heartily over some of the sentences. . . . Who can it 

 be ? Certainly I should have said that there was only one man 

 in England who could have written this essay, and that you 

 were the man. But I suppose I am wrong, and that there is 

 some hidden genius of great calibre. For how could you 

 influence Jupiter Olympus and make him give three and a 

 half columns to pure science ? The old fogies will think the 

 world will come to an end. Well, whoever the man is, he has 

 done great service to the cause, far more than by a dozen 

 reviews in common periodicals. The grand way he soars above 

 common religious prejudices, and the admission of such views 

 into the Times, I look at as of the highest importance, quite 

 independently of the mere question of species. If you should 

 happen to be acquainted with the author, for Heaven-sake tell 

 me who he is ? 



My dear Huxley, yours most sincerely. 



There can be no doubt that this powerful essay, appearing in 

 the leading daily Journal, must have had a strong influence on 

 the reading public. Mr. Huxley allows me to quote from a 

 letter an account of the happy chance that threw into his hands 

 the opportunity of writing it : — 



" The Origin was sent to Mr. Lucas, one of the staff of the 



