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xT. 49.) TO J. D. HOOKER. 455 
TO J. D. HOOKER. 
CAMBRIDGE, January 5, 1860. 
My pear Hooker, — Your last letter, which 
reached me just before Christmas, has got mislaid 
during the upturnings in my study which take place 
at that season, and has not yet been discovered. I 
should be very sorry to lose it, for there were in it 
some botanical mems. which I had not secured. 
The principal part of your letter was high baila: 
tion of Darwin’s book. 
Well, the book has reached me, and I finished its 
careful perusal four days ago; and I freely say that 
your laudation is not out of place. 
It is done in a masterly manner. It might well 
have taken twenty years to produce it. It is crammed 
full of most interesting matter, thoroughly digested, 
well expressed, close, cogent ; and taken as a system 
it makes out a better case than I had supposed possi- 
ble. 
I wil write to Darwin when I get a chance. As 
I have promised, he and you shall have fair play 
here. . . . I must myself write a review of Darwin’s 
book for “ Silliman’s Journal” (the more so that I 
suspect Agassiz means to come out upon it) for the 
next (March) number, and I am now setting about 
it when I ought to be every moment working the 
Exploring Expedition Composite, which I know far 
more about. And really it is no easy job, as you may 
well imagine. 
I doubt if I shall please you altogether. I know 
I shall not please Agassiz at all. I hear another 
reprint is in the press, and the book will excite much 
attention here, and some controversy. . . . 
