CHAPTER XIV 



1859-60 



The " Origin " appeared in November. As soon as he 

 had read it, Huxley wrote the following letter to Darwin 

 (already published in Life of Darwin, vol. ii. p. 231) : — 



Jermyn Street, W., November 23, 1859. 



My DEAR Darwin — I finished your book yesterday, a lucky 

 examination having furnished me with a few hours of con- 

 tinuous leisure. 



Since I read Von Bar's essays, nine years ago, no work on 

 Natural History Science I have met with has made so great 

 an impression upon me, and I do most heartily tliank you for 

 the great store of new views you have given me. Nothing, I 

 think, can be better than the tone of the book ; it impresses those 

 who know about the subject. As for your doctrine, I am pre- 

 pared to go to the stake, if requisite, in support of Chapter IX * 

 and most parts of Chapters X, XI, XII, and Chapter XIII con- 

 tains much that is most admirable, but on one or two points I 

 enter a caveat until I can see further into all sides of the 

 question. 



As to the first four chapters,f I agree thoroughly and fully 

 with all the principles laid down in them. I think you have 

 demonstrated a true cause for the production of species, and 

 have thrown the onus probandi, that species did not arise in 

 the way you suppose, on your adversaries. 



* Chapter IX, The Imperfection of the Geological Record ; X, The 

 Geological Succession of Organic Beings ; XI-XII, Geographical Dis- 

 tribution ; XIII, Classification, Morphology, Embryology, and Rudi- 

 mentary Organs. 



f Chapter I, Variation under Domestication ; II, Variation under 

 Nature ; III, The Struggle for Existence ; IV, Operation of Natural 

 Selection ; V, Laws of Variation, 

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