232 PUBLICATION OF THE 'ORIGIN OF SPECIES.' [1859. 



C. Darwin to T. H. Huxley. 



Ilkley, Nov. 25 [1859]. 



MY DEAR HUXLEY, Your letter has been forwarded to 

 me from Down. Like a good Catholic who has received 

 extreme unction, I can now sing " nunc dimittis." I should 

 have been more than contented with one quarter of what you 

 have said. Exactly fifteen months ago, when I put pen to 

 paper for this volume, I had awful misgivings ; and thought 

 perhaps I had deluded myself, like so many have done, 

 and I then fixed in my mind three judges, on whose decision 

 I determined mentally to abide. The judges were Lyell, 

 Hooker, and yourself. It was this which made me so exces- 

 sively anxious for your verdict. I am now contented, and 

 can sing my " nunc dimittis." What a joke it would be if I 

 pat you on the back when you attack some immovable crea- 

 tionists ! You have most cleverly hit on one point, which has 

 greatly troubled me ; if, as I must think, external conditions 

 produce little direct effect, what the devil determines each 

 particular variation ? What makes a tuft of feathers come 

 on a cock's head, or moss on a moss-rose ? I shall much like 

 to talk over this with you. . . . 



My dear Huxley, I thank you cordially for your letter. 



Yours very sincerely, 



C. DARWIN. 



P.S. Hereafter I shall be particularly curious to hear what 

 you think of my explanation of Embryological similarity. 

 On classification I fear we shall split. Did you perceive the 

 argumentum ad liominem Huxley about the kangaroo and 

 bear? 



Erasmus Darwin * to C. Darwin. 



November 23rd [1859]. 



DEAR CHARLES, I am so much weaker in the head, that 

 I hardly know if I can write, but at all events I will jot down 

 * His brother. 



