1 66 SPREAD OF EVOLUTION. [1861. 



selection to appropriate for any purpose useful to each 

 creature. 



I thank you much for sending me your review of Phillips.* 

 I remember once telling you a lot of trades which you ought 

 to have followed, but now I am convinced that you are a 

 born reviewer. By Jove, how well and often you hit the nail 

 on the head ! You rank Phillips's book higher than I do, or 

 than Lyell does, who thinks it fearfully retrograde. I amused 

 myself by parodying Phillips's argument as applied to domes- 

 tic variation ; and you might thus prove that the duck or 

 pigeon has not varied because the goose has not, though more 

 anciently domesticated, and no good reason can be assigned 

 why it has not produced many varieties 



I never knew the newspapers so profoundly interesting. 

 North America does not do England justice ; I have not 

 seen or heard of a soul who is not with the North. Some 

 few, and I am one of them, even wish to God, though at the 

 loss of millions of lives, that the North would proclaim a' 

 crusade against slavery. In the long-run, a million horrid 

 deaths would be amply repaid in the cause of humanity. 

 What wonderful times we live in ! Massachusetts seems to 

 show noble enthusiasm. Great God ! how I should like to 

 see the greatest curse on earth — slavery — abolished ! 



Farewell. Hooker has been absorbed with poor dear 

 revered Henslow's affairs. Farewell. 



Ever yours, 



C. Darwin. 



Hugh Falconer to C. Darwin. 



31 Sackville St., W., June 23, 1861. 

 My dear Darwin. — I have been to Adelsberg cave and 

 brought back with me a live Proteus anguinus, designed for 

 you from the moment I got it ; i.e. if you have got an 

 aquarium and would care to have it. I only returned last 

 night from the continent, and hearing from your brother that 



* « Life on the Earth,' i860. 



