1856.] CLASSIFICATION. 8 1 



Please return Lyell's letters. 



What a capital letter of Lyell's that to you is, and what a 

 wonderful man he is. I differ from him greatly in thinking 

 that those who believe that species are not fixed will multiply 

 specific names : I know in my own case my most frequent 

 source of doubt was whether others would not think this or 

 that was a God-created Barnacle, and surely deserved a 

 name. Otherwise I should only have thought whether the 

 amount of difference and permanence was sufficient to justify 

 a name : I am, also, surprised at his thinking it immaterial 

 whether species are absolute or not: whenever it is proved 

 that all species are produced by generation, by laws of change, 

 what good evidence we shall have of the gaps in formations. 

 And what a science Natural History will be, when we are in 

 our graves, when all the laws of change are thought one of 

 the most important parts of Natural History. 



I cannot conceive why Lyell thinks such notions as mine 

 or of ' Vestiges,' will invalidate specific centres. But I must 

 not run on and take up your time. My MS. will not, I fear, 

 be copied before you go abroad. With hearty thanks. 



Ever yours, 



C. DARWIN. 



P.S. After giving much condensed, my argument versus 

 continental extensions, I shall append some such sentence^ 

 as that two better judges than myself have considered these 

 arguments, and attach no weight to them. 



C. Darwin to J. D. Hooker. 



Down, August 5th [1856], 



... I quite agree about Lyell's letters to me, which, 

 though to me interesting, have afforded me no new light. 

 Your letters, under the geological point of view, have been 

 more valuable to me. You cannot imagine how earnestly 

 I wish I could swallow continental extension, but I cannot ; 

 VOL. II. G 



