1867 LETTERS TO HAECKEL 417 



I do not believe that in the British Islands there are 

 fifty people who are competent to read the book, and of 

 the fifty, five and twenty have read it or will read it in 

 German. 



What I desire to do is to write a review of it, which 

 will bring it into some notice on this side of the water, 

 and this I hope to do before long. If I do not, it will be, 

 you well know, from no want of inclination, but simply 

 from lack of time. 



In any case, as soon as I have been able to study the 

 book carefully, you shall have my honest opinion about 

 all points. 



I am glad your journey has yielded so good a scientific 

 harvest, and especially that you found my Oceanic Hydrozoa 

 of some use. But I am shocked to find you had no copy 

 of the book of your own, and I shall take care that one 

 is sent to you. It is my firstborn work, done when I 

 was very raw and inexperienced, and had neither friends 

 nor help. Perhaps I am all the fonder of the child on 

 that ground. 



A lively memory of you remains in my house, and 

 wife and children will be very glad to hear that I have 

 news of you when I go home to dinner. 



Keep us in kindly recollection, and believe me Ever 

 yours very faithfully, T. H. HDXLEY. 



July 16, 1867. 



MY DEAR HAECKEL My wife and I send you our 

 most hearty congratulations and good wishes. Give your 

 betrothed a good account of us, for we hope in the future 

 to entertain as warm a friendship for her as for you. I 

 was very glad to have the news, for it seemed to me very 

 sad that a man of your warm affections should be sur- 

 rounded only by hopeless regrets. Such surroundings 

 inflict a sort of partial paralysis upon one's whole nature, 

 a result which is, to me, far more serious and regrettable 

 than the mere suffering one undergoes. 



VOL. I 2 E 



