The Discovery of Natural Selection 



you, equally with your great colleague, who created the 

 occasion we celebrate. 



There is nothing in the history of science more delight- 

 ful or more noble than the story of the relations between 

 yourself and Mr. Darwin, as told in the correspondence 

 now so fully published— the story of a generous rivalry 

 in which each discoverer strives to exalt the claims of the 

 other. We know that Mr. Darwin wrote (April 6th, 

 1859) : ** You cannot tell how much I admire your spirit 

 in the manner in which you have taken all that was done 

 about publishing our papers. I had actually written a 

 letter to you stating that I would not publish anything 

 before you had published.'' Then came the letters of 

 Hooker and Lyell, leading to the publication of the joint 

 papers which they communicated. 



You, on your side, always gave the credit to him, and 

 underestimated your own position as the co-discoverer, I 

 need only refer to your calling your great exposition of 

 the joint theory ^* Darwinism,'' as the typical example of 

 your generous emphasising of the claims of your illustrious 

 fellow-worker. 



It was a remarkable and momentous coincidence that 

 both you and he should have independently arrived at the 

 idea of Natural Selection after reading Malthus's book, and 

 a most happy inspiration that you should have selected Mr. 

 Darwin as the naturalist to whom to communicate your 

 discovery. That theory, in spite of changes in the 

 scientific fashion of the moment, you have always unflinch- 

 ingly maintained, and still uphold as unshaken by all 

 attacks. 



Like Mr. Darwin, you, if I may say so, are above all 

 a naturalist, a student and lover of living animals and 

 plants, as shown in later years by your enthusiasm and 

 success in gardening. It is to such men, those who have 

 learnt the ways of Nature, as Nature really is in the 

 open, to whom your doctrine of Natural Selection specially 

 appeals, and therein lies its great and lasting strength. 



Finally, you must allow me to allude to the generous 

 interest you have always shown, and continue to show, 



ill 



