DARWIN 7 



proportion of the colours and markings in the animal world. 

 It is, of course, only a wider application of the same funda- 

 mental fact by which Bates had already explained the purpose 

 of " mimicry " among insects, and it is a matter of surprise to 

 me that neither Bates himself nor Darwin had seen the prob- 

 ability of the occurrence of inedibility in the larvae as well as 

 in the perfect insects. 



In the year 1870 Mr. A. W. Bennett read a paper before 

 Section D of the British Association at Liverpool, entitled, 

 " The Theory of Natural Selection from a Mathematical Point 

 of View," and this paper was printed in full in Nature of 

 November 10, 1870. To this I replied on November 17, and 

 my reply so pleased Mr. Darwin that he at once wrote to me 

 as follows: — 



"Down, November 22. 

 My Dear Wallace, 



" I must ease myself by writing a few words to say 

 how much I and all in this house admire your article in 

 Nature. You are certainly an unparalleled master in lucidly 

 stating a case and in arguing. Nothing ever was better done 

 than your argument about the term Origin of Species, and 

 about much being gained if we know nothing about precise 

 cause of each variation." 



At the end of the letter he says something about the 

 progress of his great work, " The Descent of Man." 



"I have finished 1st vol. and am half-way through proofs 

 of 2nd vol. of my confounded book, which half kills me by 

 fatigue, and which I fear will quite kill me in your good 

 estimation. 



" If you have leisure, I should much like a little news of 

 you and your doings and your family. 



" Ever yours very sincerely, 



"Ch.'Darwin." 



The above remark, " kill me in your good estimation," 

 refers to his views on the mental and moral nature of man 

 being very different from mine, this being the first important 



