42 GROWTH OF THE 'ORIGIN.' [1854. 



not break down), I shall gnash my teeth and abuse you for 

 having put so many hostile facts so confoundedly well. 

 Ever yours affectionately, 



C. DARWIN. 



C. Darivin to J. D. Hooker. 



Down, March 26th [1854]. 



MY DEAR HOOKER, I had hoped that you would have 

 had a little breathing-time after your Journal, but this seems 

 to be very far from the case ; and I am the more obliged 

 (arid somewhat contrite) for the long letter received this 

 morning, most juicy with news and most interesting to me in 

 many ways. I am very glad indeed to hear of the reforms, 

 &c., in the Royal Society. With respect to the Club,* I am 

 deeply interested ; only two or three days ago, I was regretting 

 to my wife, how I was letting drop and being dropped by 

 nearly all my acquaintances, and that I would endeavour to 

 go oftener to London ; I was not then thinking of the Club, 

 which, as far as any one thing goes, would answer my exact 

 object in keeping up old and making some new acquaintances. 

 I will therefore come up to London for every (with rare 

 exceptions) Club-day, and then my head, I think, will allow 

 me on an average to go to every other meeting. But it is 



* The Philosophical Club, to intercourse between those Fellows 



which my father was elected (as who are actively engaged in culti- 



Professor Bonney is good enough vating the various branches of 



to inform me) on April 24, 1854. He Natural Science, and who have 



resigned his membership in 1864. contributed to its progress ; to in- 



The Club was founded in 1847. crease the attendance at the evening 



The number of members being meetings, and to encourage the 



limited to 47, it was proposed to contribution and discussion of 



christen it " the Club of 47," but papers." The Club met for dinner 



the name was never adopted. The at 6, and the chair was to be 



nature of the Club maybe gathered quitted at 8.15, it being expected 



from its first rule : "The purpose that members would go to the 



of the Club is to promote as much Royal Society. Of late years the 



as possible the scientific objects of dinner has been at 6.30, the Society 



the Royal Society ; to facilitate meeting in the afternoon. 



