637 
27. 62.] TO 
of, and the vast correspondence all over the country, 
which has been very useful to me, and others, but 
which takes adeal of time. But I am making a fairly 
good beginning. Mrs. Gray delights with me in the 
prospect of release from many a care, and of devoting 
myself without distraction to the work I have always 
liked best. 
I really hope it is not too late to do something (a 
few lines from you upon this subject might, entre 
nous, be useful to me). 
TO : 
CamprincE, May 18, 1873. 
- I cannot object to your maintaining the hy- 
pothesis that each and every existing plant and animal 
form has been directly created (or taediialy created, 
if you see a difference) out of the soil, pure hypothe- 
sis though it be, and one which “from the nature of 
the case can never be directly proved.” It is natural 
that you should hold to such hypothesis as long as you 
believe it to be possibly tenable. 
But what I may ask you very seriously to consider 
is, whether you are prepared to bear the responsibility 
you assume in maintaining and teaching that no hy- 
pothesis of the derivation of existing “ specific” forms 
from previous ones more or less like them can logi- 
cally be theistic and religious. How far any such 
hypothesis may be probable or tenable in view of the 
evidence is not the question raised, but a far more 
momentous one. 
Consider what the “ younger men who learn of you” 
will be likely to think when they come to discard, as 
the best informed ones probably will after a while, 
your scientific views on this subject; but still, per- 
