262 THE 'ORIGIN OF SPECIES.' [i860. 



It includes speculations (which perhaps he will modify) so rash, 

 and without a single fact in support, that had I advanced them 

 he or other reviewers would have hit me very hard. I am 

 sorry to say that I have no " consolatory view " on the dignity 

 of man. I am content that man will probably advance, and 

 care not much whether we are looked at as mere savages in a 

 remotely distant future. Many thanks for your last note. 



Yours affectionately, 



C. DARWIN. 



I have received, in a Manchester newspaper, rather a good 

 squib, showing that I have proved " might is right," and there- 

 fore that Napoleon is right, and every cheating tradesman is 

 also right. 



C. Darwin to W. B. Carpenter. 



Down, January 6th [1860] ? 



MY DEAR CARPENTER, I have just read your excellent 

 article in the ' National.' It will do great good ; especially if it 

 becomes known as your production. It seems to me to give 

 an excellently clear account of Mr. Wallace's and my views. 

 How capitally you turn the flanks of the theological opposers 

 by opposing to them such men as Bentham and the more 

 philosophical of the systematists ! I thank you sincerely for 

 the extremely honourable manner in which you mention me. 

 I should have liked to have seen some criticisms or remarks 

 on embryology, on which subject you are so well instructed. 

 I do not think any candid person can read your article with- 

 out being much impressed with it. The old doctrine of 

 immutability of specific forms will surely but slowly die away. 

 It is a shame to give you trouble, but I should be very much 

 obliged if you could tell me where differently coloured eggs 

 in individuals of the cuckoo have been described, and their 

 laying in twenty-seven kinds of nests. Also do you know 

 from your own observation that the limbs of sheep imported 



