volume in connection with the "Origin."
P.S.--If you write again I should very much like to hear what your life
in your new country is.
What can be the meaning or use of the great diversity of the external
generative organs in your cases, in Bombus, and the phytophagous
coleoptera?
What can there be in the act of copulation necessitating such complex
and diversified apparatus?
LETTER 178. TO W.H. FLOWER. Down, July 11th, 1864.
I am truly obliged for all the trouble which you have taken for me, and
for your very interesting note. I had only vaguely heard it said that
frogs had a rudiment of a sixth toe; had I known that such great men
had looked to the point I should not have dreamed of looking myself. The
rudiment sent to you was from a full-grown frog; so that if these bones
are the two cuneiforms they must, I should think, be considered to be
in a rudimentary condition. This afternoon my gardener brought in
some tadpoles with the hind-legs alone developed, and I looked at the
rudiment. At this age it certainly looks extremely like a digit, for
the extremity is enlarged like that of the adjoining real toe, and
the transverse articulation seems similar. I am sorry that the case is
doubtful, for if these batrachians had six toes, I certainly think
it would have thrown light on the truly extraordinary strength of
inheritance in polydactylism in so many animals, and especially on the
power of regeneration in amputated supernumerary digits. (178/1. In the
first edition of "Variation under Domestication" the view here given is
upheld, but in the second edition (Volume I., page 459) Darwin withdrew
his belief that the development of supernumerary digits in man is "a
case of reversion to a lowly-organised progenitor provided with more
than five digits." See Letters 161, 270.)
LETTER 179. TO J.D. HOOKER. Down [October 22nd, 1864].
The Lyells have been here, and were extremely pleasant, but I saw them
only occasionally for ten minutes, and when they went I had an awful day
[of illness]; but I am now slowly getting up to my former standard. I
shall soon be confined to a living grave, and a fearful evil it is.
I suppose you have read Tyndall. (179/1. Probably Tyndall "On the
Conformation of the Alps" ("Phil. Mag." 1864, page 255).) I have now
come round again to Ramsay's view, (179/2. "Phil. Mag." 1864, page 293.)
for the third or fourth time; but Lyell says when I read his discussion
in the "Elements," I shall recant for the fifth time. (179/3. This
refers to a discussion on the "Connection of the predominance of Lakes
with Glacial Action" ("Elements," Edition VI., pages 168-74). Lyell
adheres to the views expressed in the "Antiquity of Man" (1863) against
Ramsay's theory of the origin of lake basins by ice action.) What a
capital writer Tyndall is!
In your last note you ask what the Bardfield oxlip is. It is P. elatior
of Jacq., which certainly looks, when growing, to common eyes different
from the common oxlip. I will fight you to the death that as primrose
and cowslip are different in appearance (not to mention odour,
habitat and range), and as I can now show that, when they cross, the
intermediate offspring are sterile like ordinary hybrids, they must be
called as good species as a man and a gorilla.
I agree that if Scott's red cowslip grew wild or spread itself and
did not vary [into] common cowslip (and we have absolutely no proof of
primrose or cowslip varying into each other), and as it will not cross
with the cowslip, it would be a perfectly good species. The power of
remaining for a good long period constant I look at as the essence of a
species, combined with an appreciable amount of difference; and no one
can say there is not this amount of difference between primrose and
oxlip.
(PLATE: HUGH FALCONER, 1844. From a photograph by Hill & Adamson.)
LETTER 180. HUGH FALCONER TO W. SHARPEY.
(180/1. Falconer had proposed Darwin for the Copley Medal of the Royal
Society (which was awarded to him in 1864), but being detained abroad,
he gave his reasons for supporting Darwin for this honour in a letter to
Sharpey, the Secretary of the Royal Society. A copy of the letter here
printed seems to have been given to Erasmus Darwin, and by him shown to
his brother Charles.)
Montauban, October 25th, 1864.
Busk and myself have made every effort to be back in London by the 27th
inst., but we have been persecuted by mishaps--through the breakdown
of trains, diligences, etc., so that we have been sadly put out in our
reckoning--and have lost some of the main objects that brought us round
by this part of France--none of which were idle or unimportant.
Busk started yesterday for Paris from Bruniquel, to make sure of being
present at the meeting of the Royal Council on Thursday. He will tell
you that there were strong reasons for me remaining behind him. But as I
seconded the proposal of Mr. Darwin for the Copley Medal, in default of
my presence at the first meeting, I beg that you will express my great
regrets to the President and Council at not being there, and that I am
very reluctantly detained. I shall certainly be in London (D.V.) by the
second meeting on the 3rd proximo. Meanwhile I solicit the favour of
being heard, through you, respecting the grounds upon which I seconded
Mr. Darwin's nomination for the Copley Medal.
Referring to the classified list which I drew up of Mr. Darwin's
scientific labours, ranging through the wide field of (1) Geology, (2)
Physical Geography, (3) Zoology, (4) physiological Botany, (5) genetic
Biology, and to the power with which he has investigated whatever
subject he has taken up,--Nullum quod tetigit non ornavit,--I am of
opinion that Mr. Darwin is not only one of the most eminent naturalists
of his day, but that hereafter he will be regarded as one of the great
naturalists of all countries and of all time. His early work on the
structure and distribution of coral reefs constitutes an era in the
investigation of the subject. As a monographic labour, it may be
compared with Dr. Wells' "Essay upon Dew," as original, exhaustive, and
complete--containing the closest observation with large and important
generalisations.
Among the zoologists his monographs upon the Balanidae and Lepadidae,
Fossil and Recent, in the Palaeontographical and Ray Societies'
publications, are held to be models of their kind.
In physiological Botany, his recent researches upon the dimorphism of
the genital organs in certain plants, embodied in his papers in the
"Linnean Journal," on Primula, Linum, and Lythrum, are of the highest
order of importance. They open a new mine of observation upon a field
which had been barely struck upon before. The same remark applies to his
researches on the structure and various adaptations of the orchideous
flower to a definite object connected with impregnation of the plants
through the agency of insects with foreign pollen. There has not yet
been time for their due influence being felt in the advancement of the
science. But in either subject they constitute an advance per saltum.
I need not dwell upon the value of his geological researches, which
won for him one of the earlier awards of the Wollaston Medal from the
Geological Society, the best of judges on the point.
And lastly, Mr. Darwin's great essay on the "Origin of Species" by
Natural Selection. This solemn and mysterious subject had been either so
lightly or so grotesquely treated before, that it was hardly regarded as
being within the bounds of legitimate philosophical investigation. Mr.
Darwin, after twenty years of the closest study and research, published
his views, and it is sufficient to say that they instantly fixed the
attention of mankind throughout the civilised world. That the efforts of
a single mind should have arrived at success on a subject of such vast
scope, and encompassed with such difficulties, was more than could have
been reasonably expected, and I am far from thinking that Charles Darwin
has made out all his case. But he has treated it with such power and in
such a philosophical and truth-seeking spirit, and illustrated it with
such an amount of original and collated observation as fairly to have
brought the subject within the bounds of rational scientific research.
I consider this great essay on genetic Biology to constitute a strong
additional claim on behalf of Mr. Darwin for the Copley Medal. (180/2.
The following letter (December 3rd, 1864), from Mr. Huxley to Sir J.D.
Hooker, is reprinted, by the kind permission of Mr. L. Huxley, from his
father's "Life," I., page 255. Sabine's address (from the "Reader") is
given in the "Life and Letters," III., page 28. In the "Proceedings of
the Royal Society" the offending sentence is slightly modified. It is
said, in Huxley's "Life" (loc. cit., note), that the sentence which
follows it was introduced to mitigate the effect:--
"I wish you had been at the anniversary meeting and dinner, because the
latter was very pleasant, and the former, to me, very disagreeable. My
distrust of Sabine is, as you know, chronic; and I went determined to
keep careful watch on his address, lest some crafty phrase injurious to
Darwin should be introduced. My suspicions were justified, the only part
of the address [relating] to Darwin written by Sabine himself containing
the following passage:
"'Speaking generally and collectively, we have expressly omitted it
[Darwin's theory] from the grounds of our award.'
"Of course this would be interpreted by everybody as meaning that after
due discussion, the council had formally resolved not only to exclude
Darwin's theory from the grounds of the award, but to give public notice
through the president that they had done so, and, furthermore, that
Darwin's friends had been base enough to accept an honour for him on the
understanding that in receiving it he should be publicly insulted!
"I felt that this would never do, and therefore, when the resolution for
printing the address was moved, I made a speech, which I took care
to keep perfectly cool and temperate, disavowing all intention of
interfering with the liberty of the president to say what he pleased,
but exercising my constitutional right of requiring the minutes of
council making the award to be read, in order that the Society might be
informed whether the conditions implied by Sabine had been imposed or
not.
"The resolution was read, and of course nothing of the kind appeared.
Sabine didn't exactly like it, I believe. Both Busk and Falconer
remonstrated against the passage to him, and I hope it will be withdrawn
when the address is printed. If not, there will be an awful row, and I
for one will show no mercy.")
In forming an estimate of the value and extent of Mr. Darwin's
researches, due regard ought to be had to the circumstances under which
they have been carried out--a pressure of unremitting disease, which
has latterly left him not more than one or two hours of the day which he
could call his own.
LETTER 181. TO HUGH FALCONER. Down, November 4th [1864].
What a good kind friend you are! I know well that this medal must have
cost you a deal of trouble. It is a very great honour to me, but I
declare the knowledge that you and a few other friends have interested
themselves on the subject is the real cream of the enjoyment to me;
indeed, it is to me worth far more than many medals. So accept my true
and cordial thanks. I hope that I may yet have strength to do a little
more work in Natural Science, shaky and old though I be. I have chuckled
and triumphed over your postscript about poor M. Brulle and his young
pupils (181/1. The following is the postscript in a letter from Falconer
to Darwin November 3rd [1864]: "I returned last night from Spain via
France. On Monday I was at Dijon, where, while in the Museum, M. Brulle,
Professor of Zoology, asked me what was my frank opinion of Charles
Darwin's doctrine? He told me in despair that he could not get his
pupils to listen to anything from him except a la Darwin! He, poor man,
could not comprehend it, and was still unconvinced, but that all young
Frenchmen would hear or believe nothing else.") About a week ago I had
a nearly similar account from Germany, and at the same time I heard of
some splendid converts in such men as Leuckart, Gegenbauer, etc. You may
say what you like about yourself, but I look at a man who treats natural
history in the same spirit with which you do, exactly as good, for what
I believe to be the truth, as a convert.
LETTER 182. TO HUGH FALCONER. Down, November 8th [1864].
Your remark on the relation of the award of the medal and the present
outburst of bigotry had not occurred to me. It seems very true, and
makes me the more gratified to receive it. General Sabine (182/1. See
"Life and Letters," III., page 28.) wrote to me and asked me to attend
at the anniversary, but I told him it was really impossible. I have
never been able to conjecture the cause; but I find that on my good
days, when I can write for a couple of hours, that anything which stirs
me up like talking for half or even a quarter of an hour, generally
quite prostrates me, sometimes even for a long time afterwards. I
believe attending the anniversary would possibly make me seriously ill.
I should enjoy attending and shaking you and a few of my other friends
by the hand, but it would be folly even if I did not break down at the
time. I told Sabine that I did not know who had proposed and seconded
me for the medal, but that I presumed it was you, or Hooker or Busk, and
that I felt sure, if you attended, you would receive the medal for me;
and that if none of you attended, that Lyell or Huxley would receive it
for me. Will you receive it, and it could be left at my brother's?
Again accept my cordial and enduring thanks for all your kindness and
sympathy.
LETTER 183. TO B.D. WALSH. Down, December 4th [1864].
I have been greatly interested by your account of your American life.
What an extraordinary and self-contained life you have led! and what
vigour of mind you must possess to follow science with so much ardour
after all that you have undergone! I am very much obliged to you for
your pamphlet on Geographical Distribution, on Agassiz, etc. (183/1. Mr.
Walsh's paper "On certain Entomological Speculations of the New England
School of Entomologists" was published in the "Proc. Entomolog. Soc. of
Philadelphia," September 1864, page 207.) I am delighted at the manner
in which you have bearded this lion in his den. I agree most entirely
with all that you have written. What I meant when I wrote to Agassiz
to thank him for a bundle of his publications, was exactly what you
suppose. (183/2. Namely, that Mr. Darwin, having been abused as an
atheist, etc., by other writers, probably felt grateful to a writer who
was willing to allow him "a spirit as reverential as his own." ("Methods
of Study," Preface, page iv.) I confess, however, I did not fully
perceive how he had misstated my views; but I only skimmed through
his "Methods of Study," and thought it a very poor book. I am so much
accustomed to be utterly misrepresented that it hardly excites my
attention. But you really have hit the nail on the head capitally. All
the younger good naturalists whom I know think of Agassiz as you do; but
he did grand service about glaciers and fish. About the succession of
forms, Pictet has given up his whole views, and no geologist now agrees
with Agassiz. I am glad that you have attacked Dana's wild notions;
[though] I have a great respect for Dana...If you have an opportunity,
read in "Trans. Linn. Soc." Bates on "Mimetic Lepidoptera of Amazons." I
was delighted with his paper.
I have got a notice of your views about the female Cynips inserted in
the "Natural History Review" (183/3. "Nat. Hist. Review," January 1865,
page 139. A notice by "J.L." (probably Lord Avebury) on Walsh's paper
"On Dimorphism in the Hymenopterous Genus Cynips," in the "Proc.
Entomolog. Soc. of Philadelphia," March, 1864.): whether the notice will
be favourable, I do not know, but anyhow it will call attention to your
views...
As you allude in your paper to the believers in change of species, you
will be glad to hear that very many of the very best men are coming
round in Germany. I have lately heard of Hackel, Gegenbauer, F. Muller,
Leuckart, Claparede, Alex. Braun, Schleiden, etc. So it is, I hear, with
the younger Frenchmen.
LETTER 184. TO J.D. HOOKER. Down, January 19th [1865].
It is working hours, but I am trying to take a day's holiday, for I
finished and despatched yesterday my Climbing paper. For the last ten
days I have done nothing but correct refractory sentences, and I loathe
the whole subject like tartar emetic. By the way, I am convinced that
you want a holiday, and I think so because you took the devil's name in
vain so often in your last note. Can you come here for Sunday? You know
how I should like it, and you will be quiet and dull enough here to get
plenty of rest. I have been thinking with regret about what you said
in one of your later notes, about having neglected to make notes on the
gradation of character in your genera; but would it be too late? Surely
if you looked over names in series the facts would come back, and
you might surely write a fine paper "On the gradation of important
characters in the genera of plants." As for unimportant characters, I
have made their perfect gradation a very prominent point with respect
to the means of climbing, in my paper. I begin to think that one of the
commonest means of transition is the same individual plant having the
same part in different states: thus Corydalis claviculata, if you look
to one leaf, may be called a tendril-bearer; if you look to another leaf
it may be called a leaf-climber. Now I am sure I remember some cases
with plants in which important parts such as the position of the ovule
differ: differences in the spire of leaves on lateral and terminal
branches, etc.
There was not much in last "Natural History Review" which interested
me except colonial floras (184/1. "Nat. Hist. Review," 1865, page 46.
A review of Grisebach's "Flora of the British West Indian Islands" and
Thwaites' "Enumeratio Plantarum Zeylaniae." The point referred to is
given at page 57: "More than half the Flowering Plants belong to eleven
Orders in the case of the West Indies, and to ten in that of Ceylon,
whilst with but one exception the Ceylon Orders are the same as the West
Indian." The reviewer speculates on the meaning of the fact "in relation
to the hypothesis of an intertropical cold epoch, such as Mr. Darwin
demands for the migration of the Northern Flora to the Southern
hemisphere.") and the report on the sexuality of cryptogams. I
suppose the former was by Oliver; how extremely curious is the fact
of similarity of Orders in the Tropics! I feel a conviction that it
is somehow connected with Glacial destruction, but I cannot "wriggle"
comfortably at all on the subject. I am nearly sure that Dana makes out
that the greatest number of crustacean forms inhabit warmer temperate
regions.
I have had an enormous letter from Leo Lesquereux (after doubts, I did
not think it worth sending you) on Coal Flora: he wrote some excellent
articles in "Silliman" again [my] "Origin" views; but he says now after
repeated reading of the book he is a convert! But how funny men's minds
are! he says he is chiefly converted because my books make the Birth of
Christ, Redemption by Grace, etc., plain to him!
LETTER 185. TO J.D. HOOKER. Down, February 9th [1865].
I quite agree how humiliating the slow progress of man is, but every
one has his own pet horror, and this slow progress or even personal
annihilation sinks in my mind into insignificance compared with the idea
or rather I presume certainty of the sun some day cooling and we all
freezing. To think of the progress of millions of years, with every
continent swarming with good and enlightened men, all ending in this,
and with probably no fresh start until this our planetary system has
been again converted into red-hot gas. Sic transit gloria mundi, with a
vengeance...
LETTER 186. TO B.D. WALSH. Down, March 27th [1865].
I have been much interested by your letter. I received your former
paper on Phytophagic variety (186/1. For "Phytophagic Varieties and
Phytophagic Species" see "Proc. Entomolog. Soc. Philadelphia," November
1864, page 403, also December 1865. The part on gradation is summarised
at pages 427, 428. Walsh shows that a complete gradation exists between
species which are absolutely unaffected by change of food and cases
where "difference of food is accompanied by marked and constant
differences, either colorational, or structural, or both, in the larva,
pupa and imago states."), most of which was new to me. I have since
received your paper on willow-galls; this has been very opportune, as I
wanted to learn a little about galls. There was much in this paper which
has interested me extremely, on gradations, etc., and on your "unity
of coloration." (186/2. "Unity of coloration": this expression does not
seem to occur in the paper of November 1864, but is discussed at length
in that of December 1865, page 209.) This latter subject is nearly new
to me, though I collected many years ago some such cases with birds; but
what struck me most was when a bird genus inhabits two continents, the
two sections sometimes display a somewhat different type of colouring.
I should like to hear whether this does not occur with widely ranging
insect-genera? You may like to hear that Wichura (186/3. Max Wichura's
"Die Bastarde befruchtung im Pflanzenreich, etc:" Breslau 1865. A
translation appeared in the "Bibliotheque Universelle," xxiii., page
129: Geneva 1865.) has lately published a book which has quite convinced
me that in Europe there is a multitude of spontaneous hybrid willows.
Would it not be very interesting to know how the gall-makers behaved
with respect to these hybrids? Do you think it likely that the ancestor
of Cecidomyia acquired its poison like gnats (which suck men) for no
especial purpose (at least not for gall-making)? Such notions make me
wish that some one would try the experiments suggested in my former
letter. Is it not probable that guest-flies were aboriginally
gall-makers, and bear the same relation to them which Apathus probably
does to Bombus? (186/4. Apathus (= Psithyrus) lives in the nests of
Bombus. These insects are said to be so like humble bees that "they were
not distinguished from them by the early entomologists:" Dr. Sharp in
"Cambridge Nat. Hist. (Insects," Part II.), page 59.) With respect
to dimorphism, you may like to hear that Dr. Hooker tells me that
a dioecious parasitic plant allied to Rafflesia has its two sexes
parasitic on two distinct species of the same genus of plants; so look
out for some such case in the two forms of Cynips. I have posted to you
copies of my papers on dimorphism. Leersia (186/5. Leersia oryzoides
was for a long time thought to produce only cleistogamic and therefore
autogamous flowers. See "Variation of Animals and Plants," Edition II.,