360 LIFE AT DOWN. jETAT. 33-4$. [1847. 



Forfend me from a man who weighs every expression with 

 Scotch prudence. I heartily wish you all success in your 

 noble problem, and I shall be very curious to have some talk 

 with you and hear your ultimatum."] 



C. Darwin to J. D. Hooker* 



Down [October, 1847]. 



I congratulate you heartily on your arrangements being 

 completed, with some prospect for the future. It will be a 

 noble voyage and journey, but I wish it was over, I shall 

 miss you selfishly and all ways to a dreadful extent ... I 

 am in great perplexity how we are to meet ... I can well 

 understand how dreadfully busy you must be. If you cannot 

 come here, you must let me come to you for a night ; for I 

 must have one more chat and one more quarrel with you 

 over the coal. 



By the way, I endeavoured to stir up Lyell (who has been 

 staying here some days with me) to theorise on the coal : his 

 oolitic upright Equisetums are dreadful for my submarine flora. 

 I should die much easier if some one would solve me the coal 

 question. I sometimes think it could not have been formed 

 at all. Old Sir Anthony Carlisle once said to me gravely, 

 that he supposed Megatherium and such cattle were just sent 

 down from heaven to see whether the earth would support 

 them ; and I suppose the coal was rained down to puzzle 

 mortals. You must work the coal well in India. 



Ever yours, 



C. DARWIN. 



C. Darwin to J. D. Hooker. 



[November 6th, 1847.] 



MY DEAR HOOKER, I have just received your note with 

 sincere grief : there is no help for it. I shall always look at 

 your intention of coming here, under such circumstances, as 

 * Parts of two letters. 



