1851 SCIENTIFIC WORLD OF 1851 137 



a Zoologist and a Geologist than a Comparative Anatomist, 

 he has more claims to the title of a Philosophic Naturalist 

 than any man I know of in England. A man of letters 

 and an artist, he has not merged the man in the man of 

 science he has sympathies for all, and an earnest, 

 truth - seeking, thoroughly genial disposition which win 

 for him your affection as well as your respect. Forbes 

 has more influence by his personal weight and example 

 upon the rising generation of scientific naturalists than 

 Owen will have if he write from now till Doomsday. 



Personally I am greatly indebted to him (though the 

 opinion I have just expressed is that of the world in 

 general). During my absence he superintended the 

 publication of my paper, and from the moment of my 

 arrival until now he has given me all the help one man 

 can give another. Why he should have done so I do not 

 know, as when I left England I had only spoken to him 

 once. 



The rest of the naturalists stand far below these two 

 in learning, originality, and grasp of mind. Goodsir of 

 Edinburgh should, I suppose, come next, but he can't 

 write intelligibly. Darwin might be anything if he had 

 good health. Bell is a good man in all the senses of the 

 word, but wants qualities 2 and 3. Newport a laborious 

 man, but wants 1 and 3. Grant and Rymer Jones 

 arcades ambo have mistaken their vocation. 



My old chief Richardson is a man of men, but troubles 

 himself little with anything but detail zoology. What 

 think you of his getting married for the third time just 

 before his last expedition. I hardly know by which step 

 he approved himself the bolder man. 



I think I have now fulfilled my promise of supplying 

 you with a little scientific scandal and if this long 

 epistle has repaid your trouble in getting through it, 

 I am content. 



Believe me, I have not forgotten, nor ever shall 

 forget, your kindness to me at a time when a little 



