1845-1 MUTABILITY OF SPECIES. 



391 



letter till to-morrow, for I am tired ; but I so enjoy writing 

 to you, that I must inflict a little more on you. 



Have you any good evidence for absence of insects in 

 small islands ? I found thirteen species in Keeling Atoll. 

 Flies are good fertilizers, and I have seen a microscopic Thrips 

 and a Cecidomya take flight from a flower in the direction of 

 another with pollen adhering to them. In Arctic countries a 

 bee seems to go as far N. as any flower 



C. Darwin to J. D. Hooker. 



Shrewsbury [September, 1845]. 



My dear Hooker, — I write a line to say that Cosmos * 

 arrived quite safely [N.B. One sheet came loose in Pt. I.], 

 and to thank you for your nice note. I have just begun the 

 introduction, and groan over the style, which in such parts is 

 full half the battle. How true many of the remarks are (i. e. 

 as far as I can understand the wretched English) on the 

 scenery ; it is an exact expression of one's own thoughts. 



I wish I ever had any books to lend you in return for the 

 many you have lent me. . . . 



All of what you kindly say about my species work does 

 not alter one iota my long self-acknowledged presumption in 

 accumulating facts and speculating on the subject of varia- 

 tion, without having worked out my due share of species. But 

 now for nine years it has been anyhow the greatest amuse- 

 ment to me. 



Farewell, my dear Hooker, I grieve more than you can 

 well believe, over our prospect of so seldom meeting. 



I have never perceived but one fault in you, and that you 

 have grievously, viz. modesty ; you form an exception to 

 Sydney Smith's aphorism, that merit and modesty have no ; 

 other connection, except in their first letter. Farewell, I 



C. Darwin. { 



* A translation of Humboldt's ' Kosmos.' 



