I859-] HEALTH FAILING. 513 



thought we could not make our ideas clear to each other by 

 talk, or if either of us had time to write in extenso, 



I imagine from some expressions (but if you ask me what, 

 I could not answer) that you look at variability as some 

 necessary contingency with organisms, and further that there 

 is some necessary tendency in the variability to go on diverg- 

 ing in character or degree. If you do, I do not agree. " Re- 

 version " again (a form of inheritance), I look at as in no 

 way directly connected with Variation, though of course 

 inheritance is of fundamental importance to us, for if a varia- 

 tion be not inherited, it is of no significance to us. It was 

 on such points as these I fancied that we perhaps started 

 differently. 



I fear that my book will not deserve at all the pleasant 

 things you say about it ; and Good Lord, how I do long to 

 have done with it ! 



Since the above was written, I have received and have 

 been juuch interested by A. Gray. I am delighted at his note 

 about my and Wallace's paper. He will go round, for it is 

 futile to give up very many species, and stop at an arbitrary 

 line at others. It is what my grandfather called Unitarian- 

 ism, "a feather bed to catch a falling Christian." . . . 



C. Darwin to J. D. Hooker. 



Down, May iSth [1859]. 



My dear Hooker, — My health has quite failed. I am 

 off to-morrow for a week of Hydropathy. I am very very 

 sorry to say that I cannot look over any proofs * in the week, 

 as my object is to drive the subject out of my head. I shall 

 return to-morrov/ week. If it be worth while, which probably 

 it is not, you could keep back any proofs till my return home. 



In haste, ever yours, 



C. Darwin. 



* Of Sir J. Hooker's Introduction to the ' Flora of Australia.' 



