i860.] PICTET. SEDGWICK. 297 



review, namely, an opposed one (by Pictet,* the palaeontologist, 

 in the Bib. Universelle of Geneva) which is perfectly fair and 

 just, and I agree to every word he says ; our only difference 

 being that he attaches less weight to arguments in favour, 

 and more to arguments opposed, than I do. Of all the op- 

 posed reviews, I think this the only quite fair one, and I never 

 expected to see one. Please observe that I do not class your 

 review by/-any means as opposed, though you think so your- 

 self ! It has done me mucJi too good service ever to appear 

 in that rank in my eyes. But I fear I shall weary you with 

 so much about my book. I should rather think there was a 

 good chance of my becoming the most egotistical man in all 

 Europe ! What a proud pre-eminence ! Well, you have 

 helped to make me so, and therefore you must forgive me if 

 you can. 



My dear Gray, ever yours most gratefully, 



C. DARWIN. 



[In a letter to Sir Charles Lyell reference is made to 

 Sedgwick's review in the Spectator, March 24 : 



" I now feel certain that Sedgwick is the author of the 

 article in the Spectator. No one else could use such abusive 

 terms. And what a misrepresentation of my notions ! Any 

 ignoramus would suppose that I had first broached the 



* Frangois Jules Pictet, in the and written the word "good." is 



' Archives des Sciences de la Bib- worth quoting : " La the'orie de 



liotheque Universelle,' Mars 1860. M. Darwin s'accorde mal avec 



The article is written in a courteous 1'histoire des types a formes bien 



and considerate tone, and con- tranches et ddfinies qui paraissent 



eludes by saying that the ' Origin ' n'avoir ve*cu que pendant un temps 



will be of real value to naturalists, limite". On en pourrait citer des 



especially if they are not led away centaines d'exemples, tel que les 



by its seductive arguments to be- reptiles volants, les ichthyosaures, 



lieve in the dangerous doctrine of les be'lemnites, les ammonites, &c." 



modification. A passage which Pictet was born in 1809, died 1872 ; 



seems to have struck my father as he was Professor of Anatomy and 



being valuable, and opposite which Zoology at Geneva, 

 he has made double pencil marks 



