1 847-] COAL. 357 



My new microscope is come home (a " splendid plaything," 

 as old R. Brown called it), and I am delighted with it ; it 

 really is a splendid plaything. I have been in London for 

 three days, and saw many of our friends. I was extremely 

 sorry to hear a not very good account of Sir William. 

 Farewell, my dear Hooker, and be a good boy, and make 

 Sigillaria a submarine sea- weed. 



Ever yours, 



C. DARWIN. 



C. Darwin to J. D. Hooker. 



Down [May 6th, 1847]. 



MY DEAR HOOKER, You have made a savage onslaught 

 and I must try to defend myself. But, first, let me say that I 

 never write to you except for my own good pleasure ; now I 

 fear that you answer me when busy and without inclination 

 (and I am sure I should have none if I was as busy as you). 

 Pray do not do so, and if I thought my writing entailed an 

 answer from you nolens vokns, it would destroy all my pleasure 

 in writing. Firstly, I did not consider my letter as reasoning, 

 or even as speculation, but simply as mental rioting ; and as I 

 was sending Binney's paper, I poured out to you the result of 

 reading it. Secondly, you are right, indeed, in thinking me 

 mad, if you suppose that I would class any ferns as marine 

 plants ; but surely there is a wide distinction between the 

 plants found upright in the coal-beds and those not upright, 

 and which might have been drifted. Is it not possible that 

 the same circumstances which have preserved the vegetation 

 in situ, should have preserved drifted plants ? I know 

 Calamites is found upright ; but I fancied its affinities were 

 very obscure, like Sigillaria. As for Lepidodendron, I forgot 

 its existence, as happens when one goes riot, and now know 

 neither what it is, or whether upright. If these plants, i.e. 

 Calamites and Lepidodendron, have very clear relations to 

 terrestrial vegetables, like the ferns have, and are found 



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