264 THE SPREAD OF EVOLUTION. [Ch. XIV. 



cordial manner. You have in part taken what I said much 

 stronger than I had intended. It never occurred to me for a 

 moment to doubt that your work, with the whole subject so 

 admirably and clearly arranged, as well as fortified by so many 

 new facts and arguments, would not advance our common object 

 in the highest degree. All that I think is that you will excite 

 anger, and that anger so completely blinds every one that your 

 arguments would have no chance of influencing those who are 

 already opposed to our views. Moreover, I do not at all like 

 that you, towards whom I feel so much friendship, should un- 

 necessarily make enemies, and there is pain and vexation enough 

 in the world without more being caused. But I repeat that I 

 can feel no doubt that your work will greatly advance our 

 subject, and I heartily wish it could be translated into English, 

 for my own sake and that of others. With respect to what 

 you say about my advancing too strongly objections against 

 my own views, some of my English friends think that I have 

 erred on this side ; but truth compelled me to write what I did, 

 and I am inclined to think it was good policy. The belief in 

 the descent theory is slowly spreading in England,* even 

 amongst those who can give no reason for their belief. No body 

 of men were at first so much opposed to my views as the members 

 of the London Entomological Society, but now I am assured 

 that, with the exception of two or three old men, all the 

 members concur with me to a certain extent. It has been a 

 great disappointment to mo that I have never received your long 

 letter written to me from the Canary Islands. I am rejoiced to 

 hear that your tour, which seems to have been a most interesting 

 one, has done your health much good. 



.... I am very glad to hear that there is some chance of 

 your visiting England this autumn, and all in this house will be 

 delighted to see you here. 



Believe me, my dear Haeckel, yours very sincerely. 



I place here an extract from a letter of later date (Nov. 1868), 

 which refers to one of Haeckel's later works, f 



" Your chapters on the affinities and genealogy of the animal 

 kingdom strike me as admirable and full of original thought. 



* In October, 1867, he wrote to Mr. Wallace : — " Mr. Warrington has 

 lately read an excellent and spirited abstract of the Origin before the 

 Victoria Institute, and as this is a most orthodox body, he has gained the 

 name of the Devil's Advocate. The discussion which followed during 

 three consecutive meetings is very rich from the nonsense talked." 



t Die natiirliche SchSpfungs-GescMchte, 1868. It was translated and 

 published in 1876, under the title, The History of Creation. 



