432 CORRESPONDENCE. [1857, 
from the one to the other is the question. If we may 
do so even as far as you do, might not Agassiz (at least 
plausibly) say, that as the species Iron was created 
in a vast number of individuals over the whole earth, 
so the presumption is that any given species of plants 
or animals was originated in as many individuals 
as there are now, and over as wide an area, the hu- 
man species under as great diversities as it now has 
(barring historical intermixture) ? —so reducing the 
question between you to insignificance, because then 
the question whether men are of one or of several spe- 
cies would no longer be a question of fact, or of much 
consequence. 
ou can answer him from another starting-point, 
no doubt ; but he may still insist that it is a legitimate 
carrying out of your own principle. md 
The tendency of my mind is entaed to this sort of 
view; but you may be sure that before long there 
must be one more resurrection of the development 
theory in a new form, obviating many of the arguments 
against it, and presenting a more respectable and 
more formidable appearance than it ever has be- 
6 
I wanted to say something on the last two pages, 
but as I have nothing in particular to except to, and 
much to approve, and as it is late bedtime, I spare 
you further comments. 
I set out to find flaws, as likely to be more sug- 
gestive and therefore far more useful to you than any 
amount of praise, with which I could fill page after 
page. 
